Do you need any kind of special motor vehicle permit to run a holiday hayride for profit?
I'm visiting my friend in North Carolina for a month, and I would love to buy a holiday hayride. I am wondering if there's any sort of special motor vehicle permit to run a holiday hayride???
Answers ( 1 )
In order to transport passengers, (16 or more including the driver) North Carolina requires a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) class B or class C with a School Bus/Activity Bus endorsement on that license. Which class depends on the specific weights of the vehicle and the trailer.
It is certainly possible that some farm owners don’t bother with this since they don’t need a CDL to operate most farm equipment, but if an accident occurs and a passenger gets hurt, their insurance company may very well leave them holding the bag when they get sued.
Purchasing short term event insurance will always include the requirement that only properly licensed and endorsed people will operate any vehicles involved. When I was the Program Director for a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, we had to check our liability insurance carefully against any event we were running because people will happily sue you if anything goes wrong (regardless of who was at fault), even if you are running a charity.
You'll also need a Temporary Business License and to check the zoning restrictions on the property where you plan to operate.
https://www.ncbold.com/license/44138