You are correct.<p>14 CFR 61.133 (b)(1) states:[0]<p><pre><code>  A person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate
  with an airplane category or powered-lift category rating
  and does not hold an instrument rating in the same 
  category and class will be issued a commercial pilot 
  certificate that contains the limitation, “The 
  carriage of passengers for hire in (airplanes) 
  (powered-lifts) on cross-country flights in excess of 
  50 nautical miles or at night is prohibited.”
</code></pre>
So you can technically get a commercial license without an instrument rating, but you won&#x27;t be able to get a job until you do. My guess is it happens only in that someone is taking the courses for both and just happens to finish the commercial part first. In practice though I&#x27;ve never heard anyone who did that.<p>[0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.law.cornell.edu&#x2F;cfr&#x2F;text&#x2F;14&#x2F;61.133" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.law.cornell.edu&#x2F;cfr&#x2F;text&#x2F;14&#x2F;61.133</a>