FAA CPL without the IR
 

Just a quick question, can an FAA CPL pilot certificate be issued without an IR ?
I checked on the FAA website and apparantly it can, but a flying school is currently disagreeing with me on the issue.
Please help!

Yes it can - it wouldn't be worth anything much (commercially), but - to answer your question - yes it can.

(An ATP - no!!)

Gone west is right. you could use it for flying skydivers or towing banners, but you ain't gonna earn a very good living doing that .

I don't imagine the FAA issues too many VFR comm licences

Actually commercial licenses with a VFR ONLY restriction are fairly common, for students who chose to get their commercial before getting their instrument rating.
There is so much flying in this country that not much is uncommon.

You are limited to flight within 50nm in the daytime and NO flight with pax at night.

Limited CPL is common in the ag aviation business

Mike, Do you work in the Ag Aviation business?
I have heard that it is a hard industry to break into in California unless you really know somebody on the inside.

Otherwise you have to move out to Georgia or somewhere. I have a student who just got his Commercial and is trying to find out how to get into the industry but wants to live in California.

Weasil, in CA. and the rest of the States, insurance minimums have made it difficult to break into the ag industry. Also, because of the FDA, Dept. of Ag., drought, farm economy, ground rigs to name a few have made the number of seats availible limited. Your student needs to take an ag course initially.
Meeting insurance minimums is the #1 deterent, normally:
1,500 to 3000 ag for a recip
500 turbine tailwheel + 1500 to 3000 ag for turbine equipment

hope this helps