RV drivers take the general air brake course
ICBC requires a B.C. driver’s licence with an air brake endorsement (code 15) to drive a vehicle equipped with air brakes on a highway. ICBC’s own description of the endorsement includes recreational vehicles (RVs) with air brakes. There is no separate RV endorsement: RV drivers earn the same code 15 endorsement as truck drivers.
That is why there is no special RV curriculum. RV drivers take our general air brake course: 7 hours of classroom theory plus 4 hours of hands-on practical training (11 hours in total), followed by the ICBC knowledge test and an air brake pre-trip assessment. We use motorhome examples where they help.
Most RVs, campervans and travel trailers use ordinary hydraulic brakes, so code 15 does not come into it. Larger diesel-pusher motorhomes and some heavier coaches are built with air brake systems, and those are the ones that need the endorsement.
Do you need a Class 5 or 7 to enrol?
ICBC lists motorhomes, including those with more than two axles, as vehicles you can drive on a Class 5 or 7 licence. The air brake endorsement is added to that licence. You do not need a commercial class.
Not sure if your RV has air brakes?
Diesel-pusher motorhomes and heavier Class A coaches are the ones most likely to have them; smaller Class B and C units and towable trailers almost always use hydraulic brakes instead. Check your owner’s manual, ask your dealer, or call us. ICBC also requires the endorsement for most vehicles with air-over-hydraulic brakes, so mention it if that is your system.
Does your RV need this course?
Most RV owners who call us fall into one of a handful of situations. If you're not sure which one describes you, that's a quick phone call, not a guessing game.
You probably need the RV air brake course if:
- You drive, or are about to take delivery of, a diesel-pusher or heavier Class A motorhome built with an air brake system.
- A dealer or your insurer has told you the coach requires the Code 15 endorsement before you can drive or insure it.
- You hold a Class 5 licence and want Code 15 removed without enrolling in a commercial truck program.
You probably don't need it if:
- Your RV uses hydraulic brakes, as most smaller motorhomes, campervans and towable trailers do.
- You're training for a commercial licence — air brakes are already built into the Class 1 MELT and Class 3 curriculums, and our full air brake course covers the standalone commercial side.
Still not sure? Call us at (778) 549-1727 with your RV's make, model and chassis and we'll tell you honestly whether you need the course before you book anything.
What you'll learn
The RV air brake course covers the same ICBC curriculum as the standard air brake course — how the system works, how to spot a problem before it becomes one, and how to inspect and adjust the parts ICBC expects you to know — with examples and hands-on work drawn from motorhome systems.
Air brake systems & components
The dual air system, compressor and governor, reservoirs and automatic drain valves, as they're laid out on a motorhome chassis.
Foundation brakes & slack adjusters
Brake chambers, foundation brake hardware, and checking and adjusting pushrod travel — the inspection point examiners look at most closely.
Spring brakes & warning devices
Parking (spring) brake application, low air pressure warning devices, and what to do the moment one activates on the road.
Pre-trip & en-route inspection
The air brake portion of a proper pre-trip inspection before a trip, plus the checks you make en route — built for RV routines, not just a commercial yard.
Emergency procedures
What to do if you lose air pressure on the road, and why a slow leak is a very different situation from a sudden one.
Knowledge & practical exam prep
Direct preparation for the ICBC air brake knowledge questions and the hands-on practical exam, so nothing on test day is a surprise.
Same ICBC curriculum, motorhome examples
ICBC sets one air brake curriculum for the whole province — this course teaches it with examples and practical work suited to RV systems, so you're not sitting through tractor-trailer scenarios that don't apply to you. If you're chasing a commercial Class 1 or Class 3 licence instead, our full air brake course page covers that side of the same curriculum.
Practical assessment on-site at our yard
Your 4 practical hours end with the air brake pre-trip assessment, conducted by our certified assessment officer on the air-brake-equipped training vehicle you learned on. Under ICBC’s certified-course rules, passing that assessment means you may not need to take the pre-trip test with an ICBC examiner.
The ICBC air brake knowledge test is taken separately at an ICBC driver licensing office: 25 multiple-choice questions, 20 to pass. There is no road test for the air brake endorsement. Confirm current requirements and fees with ICBC.
Before you enrol
The course has fewer prerequisites than a commercial program. You are adding an endorsement to a licence you already hold, not applying for a new class.
- Be at least 16 and hold a valid B.C. driver’s licence. A Class 5 or 7 covers motorhomes, so that is all most RV owners need.
- Bring primary and secondary ID. ICBC requires both for its tests.
- Confirm with your insurer that your RV policy covers an air-brake-equipped unit once the endorsement is added.
Towing a trailer as well? ICBC says that if your vehicle or trailer has air brakes and the trailer’s gross vehicle weight is over 4,600 kg, you need a Class 1 licence. Call us if that might be you. The house trailer endorsement (code 07) is a separate ICBC endorsement and is not the air brake endorsement.
Not sure where you stand? Call us at (778) 549-1727.
Your path to the Code 15 endorsement
From your first phone call to a licence with the air brake endorsement, here is the whole sequence.
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Confirm your RV needs it
Call us with your make, model and chassis. If your RV uses hydraulic brakes, you don’t need this course at all.
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Take 7 hours of theory
Classroom training on how the air brake system works, its components and its failure modes.
With us -
Take 4 hours of practical training
Hands-on air brake pre-trip inspection and brake adjustment, then your pre-trip assessment with our certified assessment officer.
With us -
Pass the ICBC air brake knowledge test
Taken at an ICBC driver licensing office with your course card and ID. Warm up with our free air brake practice test.
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Get the Code 15 endorsement
ICBC gives you a temporary licence with the endorsement once you pass, and mails your photo licence.
Ready to get your RV road-legal?
Tell us what you drive and we will tell you exactly what the course involves.
Why RV owners choose Tricon
The air brake curriculum is set by ICBC everywhere in B.C. What separates schools is how the testing actually happens, and whether the person teaching you has done the job.
Certified assessment officer on staff
Complete your air brake pre-trip assessment with us, so you may not need a separate ICBC pre-trip test.
Train and test on the same vehicle
The air-brake-equipped training vehicle you learn on is the one you're assessed on, so nothing about assessment day feels unfamiliar.
Instructors who have done the job
Taught by instructors who've held a commercial licence themselves, not just a curriculum binder.
Yards in Surrey and Langley
Two Metro Vancouver training yards, so getting to a course doesn't mean a long drive first.
Open 9am to 9pm, every day
Including weekends and holidays, so booking the course doesn't mean taking a day off work to fit ours.
4.6★ Surrey · 5.0★ Langley on Google
We're a BC Trucking Association member school with the same instructors teaching this course as our full Class 1 and Class 3 programs.
Booking & how it's priced
We quote current pricing for the RV air brake course over the phone so you get an accurate number for your situation. See our course fees page for how we think about pricing across every program, and ask about in-house payment options when you call.
Actually need a commercial licence instead?
If you're chasing a Class 1 or Class 3 licence rather than a Class 5 endorsement, see our full air brake course page, or start with Class 1 (MELT) or Class 3 — air brake training is already built into both.
RV air brake course — frequently asked questions
Do RV drivers take a different air brake course?
No. RV drivers take our general air brake course, 7 hours of theory plus 4 hours of practical training, and earn the same code 15 air brake endorsement as truck drivers. ICBC does not have a separate RV endorsement.
What does ICBC say about RVs and air brakes?
ICBC requires a B.C. licence with an air brake endorsement (code 15) to drive a vehicle with air brakes on a highway, and describes the endorsement as covering large trucks, buses and recreational vehicles (RVs) with air brakes. Motorhomes can be driven on a Class 5 or 7 licence.
Does every RV need the Code 15 endorsement?
No. Most RVs, campervans and travel trailers use hydraulic brakes. It is mainly larger diesel-pusher motorhomes and some heavier coaches with air brake systems, or most vehicles with air-over-hydraulic brakes, that need it.
How do I know if my motorhome has air brakes?
Check your owner’s manual or ask your dealer. The chassis manufacturer’s specs will say. If you are still not sure, call us with the make, model and chassis.
How long does the RV air brake course take?
It is the general air brake course: 7 hours of classroom theory plus 4 hours of hands-on practical training, 11 hours in total. The ICBC knowledge test and the air brake pre-trip assessment follow the course. We can split it over more than one session if your schedule needs it.
Do I need a commercial licence to take it?
No. You keep the licence class you already hold. ICBC lists motorhomes as vehicles you can drive on a Class 5 or 7, and the endorsement is added to that licence. You must be at least 16 with a valid B.C. licence.
What if I tow a trailer with air brakes?
ICBC says that if your vehicle or trailer has air brakes and the trailer’s gross vehicle weight is over 4,600 kg, you need a Class 1 licence. Up to 4,600 kg you need the air brake endorsement. Check with ICBC for your exact set-up.
Is code 07 the air brake endorsement?
No. Code 07 is ICBC’s house trailer endorsement for recreational trailers over 4,600 kg. The air brake endorsement is code 15.
Can my practical assessment be done with Tricon?
Yes. Our certified assessment officer conducts the air brake pre-trip assessment at the end of your practical hours, so you may not need to take the pre-trip test with an ICBC examiner. The ICBC knowledge test is taken at an ICBC driver licensing office.
Where do you offer the RV air brake course?
From our Surrey yard at 12511 82 Ave and our Langley yard at 8380 216 St. We answer the phone from 9am to 9pm every day, weekends and holidays included.