Driver’s License Restrictions: Codes, Removal, and Penalties

Driver’s license restrictions are limits printed on your license that control when, where, or how you’re allowed to drive. They fall into four broad groups: graduated restrictions for new drivers, vision-based codes, physical or equipment codes tied to a medical condition, and the federally standardized codes on a commercial driver’s license. Ignoring any of them is generally treated the same as driving without a valid license, and for CDL holders the penalties escalate quickly with repeat offenses.

Restrictions for New Drivers

If you’re a teenager or the parent of one, graduated driver licensing is usually the first set of restrictions you’ll deal with. Every state and the District of Columbia uses a three-phase system to limit high-risk situations while a new driver builds experience.1NHTSA. Graduated Driver Licensing

In the learner’s permit phase, you can only drive with a fully licensed adult in the passenger seat. Most states make you hold the permit for a minimum period, often six to twelve months, before you can move on. The intermediate or provisional license lets you drive unsupervised but adds two common limits: a nighttime driving curfew and a cap on how many teenage passengers you can carry. A full license, with all graduated restrictions dropped, typically arrives at age 18.

The exact curfew hours and passenger numbers differ by state, so check your state licensing agency for the specifics that apply to you.

Vision-Related Restrictions

Corrective lenses is the most common restriction on any driver’s license, usually printed as code “B” on the card. If your uncorrected vision fell short of the state’s minimum during your license exam, the code is added and you must wear glasses or contacts every time you drive. Nearly every state sets the minimum at 20/40 in the better eye, with only a handful requiring 20/50 or 20/60.

Commercial drivers face a stricter federal standard: at least 20/40 in each eye individually, 20/40 with both eyes, a horizontal field of vision of at least 70 degrees in each eye, and the ability to distinguish standard traffic signal colors.2eCFR. 49 CFR 391.41 – Physical Qualifications for Drivers

Drivers whose vision struggles in low light sometimes receive a daylight-only restriction, often coded “G,” which prohibits driving after sunset. Some states also assign a code for hearing impairments, requiring an outside rearview mirror or a hearing aid while driving. The letter varies by state, but the point is the same: compensate for reduced hearing with either assistive technology or extra mirrors.

Physical and Equipment Restrictions

When a physical condition affects your ability to operate standard vehicle controls, your license spells out exactly what equipment your vehicle must have. Common ones include:

  • Automatic transmission only, when a driver lacks the coordination or limb function needed to work a clutch.
  • Hand controls required, for drivers who cannot use foot pedals.
  • Power steering required, when grip strength or upper-body mobility is limited.
  • Left-foot accelerator, for drivers who have lost the use of the right foot or leg.

An officer who pulls you over can check whether the vehicle you’re in matches the codes on your credential. Driving a car that doesn’t have your required equipment is treated the same as driving outside the scope of your license.

Commercial Driver’s License Restriction Codes

CDL restriction letters are standardized by federal regulation, so they mean the same thing in every state.3eCFR. 49 CFR 383.153 – Information on the CLP and CDL Documents and Driving Record The federal codes are:

  • L — No air brake CMV. You cannot operate any commercial vehicle with air brakes.
  • Z — No full air brake CMV. You tested in a vehicle with air-over-hydraulic brakes and cannot drive a fully pneumatic system.
  • E — No manual transmission CMV. You tested in an automatic.
  • O — No tractor-trailer CMV. You tested in a Class A combination connected by a pintle hook or similar non-fifth-wheel hitch.
  • K — Intrastate only. You can only operate within your home state, common for drivers under 21 or those who don’t meet federal interstate medical standards.
  • V — Medical variance. You have a medical exemption on file with the federal driving record.
  • M — No Class A passenger vehicle.
  • N — No Class A or B passenger vehicle.

States can add supplemental codes beyond this federal list, but they must fully explain any additional restriction on the CDL document itself.

How CDL Restrictions Get Assigned

Most CDL codes trace back to the vehicle you took your skills test in. Test in an automatic, get the E. Test in a combination with a pintle hook instead of a fifth wheel, get the O. The regulation is mechanical about it: the state “must indicate” the restriction based on the test vehicle’s equipment.4eCFR. 49 CFR 383.95 – Restrictions in Response to Skills Test Vehicle So the easiest way to avoid unwanted codes is to test in a vehicle that has a manual transmission, full air brakes, and a fifth-wheel connection.

The air brake restriction has two triggers: failing the air brake portion of the written knowledge test, or testing in a vehicle without air brakes. Either produces the L. Testing in a vehicle with air-over-hydraulic brakes avoids the L but adds the Z instead.4eCFR. 49 CFR 383.95 – Restrictions in Response to Skills Test Vehicle

Medical Self-Certification for CDL Holders

Every CDL holder also has to self-certify to one of four categories of commercial vehicle operation with the state licensing agency, based on whether you drive interstate or intrastate and whether your work qualifies for an exception.5Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operation I Should Self-Certify To Non-excepted interstate is the most common category and requires a federal medical examiner’s certificate.

If your medical certificate expires and you don’t update it with your state, your commercial privileges get downgraded automatically, and you lose the ability to drive any vehicle that requires a CDL until you produce a current certificate.6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical This catches people off guard because the medical card and the CDL itself have separate expiration dates.

Drivers who don’t meet the federal physical standards but still want to drive commercially can apply for a medical variance covering conditions like limb impairment, insulin-treated diabetes, or hearing loss.2eCFR. 49 CFR 391.41 – Physical Qualifications for Drivers If granted, the V code appears on the CDL, and the driver has to carry the variance documentation while operating a commercial vehicle.

How to Remove a Restriction

Removing a restriction means proving to your state’s licensing agency that the limitation no longer applies. What you need depends on the code.

For a corrective lenses restriction, submit a vision exam report from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist showing your uncorrected acuity now meets the state minimum. Most agencies want the report completed within a set window before submission, commonly 90 days or less.

For a restriction tied to a physical condition, you’ll need a physician’s statement documenting that the condition has improved enough to operate a standard vehicle safely. The physician usually has to include their license number and sign within the agency’s recency window. If your current restriction involves specialized equipment like hand controls, expect to complete a new road test showing you can handle a vehicle without the adaptive equipment.

For CDL equipment codes (E, O, L, or Z), the fix is straightforward: retake the skills test in a vehicle that doesn’t trigger the code. Test in a truck with a manual transmission to remove the E, or one with full air brakes to remove the L. The K lifts when you meet interstate medical standards and obtain a valid medical examiner’s certificate. The V stays as long as the underlying medical variance is active.

Penalties for Violating a Restriction

Driving outside the terms of a restriction is generally a moving violation, and in many states it’s classified the same as driving without a valid license. Fine amounts vary widely, so check your local traffic code for specifics.

For CDL holders the stakes are higher. Federal law treats operating a commercial vehicle without the proper class, endorsements, or within the scope of your restrictions as a serious traffic violation. A second conviction within three years triggers a mandatory 60-day disqualification from operating any commercial vehicle, and a third within three years extends that to 120 days.7eCFR. 49 CFR Part 383 Subpart D – Driver Disqualifications and Penalties Those are mandatory minimums; the state cannot reduce them.

Employers who let drivers operate in violation of CDL restrictions face their own exposure. Any person who violates the CDL regulations is subject to a civil penalty of up to $7,155. Employers who knowingly allow a driver to operate during an out-of-service order face penalties between $7,155 and $39,615.8eCFR. Appendix B to Part 386 – Penalty Schedule That is where the enforcement pressure really lands: carriers have strong financial reason to verify that every driver’s credentials match the vehicle they’re assigned to.