Skip to content

How to Get Your CDL

Getting a CDL means passing a knowledge test for a learner's permit, in most cases completing entry-level driver training, then passing a three-part skills test. The exact paperwork and fees are handled by your state's licensing agency, but the sequence and the training requirement come from federal regulation. Here is that sequence, with the actual rule behind each step.

  1. 1. Meet the age and medical requirements

    A commercial learner's permit (CLP) can be issued starting at age 18, per 49 CFR 383.25. But 49 CFR 391.11(b)(1) separately requires a driver to be at least 21 to operate in interstate commerce or to haul hazardous materials requiring placards, which is why most states restrict a CDL issued to an 18-20 year old to intrastate, non-hazmat driving. Most drivers also need a medical certificate; see ourmedical card pagefor who actually needs one and what the exam covers.

  2. 2. Pass the knowledge test and get your permit

    Before you can legally practice driving a CMV or take the skills test, 49 CFR 383.23 requires passing a knowledge test that meets federal standards for the class and any endorsement you're pursuing. Passing that test gets you a CLP. A CLP is valid for up to one year without having to retake the knowledge test, per 383.25, giving you a full year to complete training and schedule your skills test.

  3. 3. Complete entry-level driver training, if it applies to you

    Since February 7, 2022, anyone obtaining a Class A CDL, a Class B CDL, or a Passenger, School Bus, or Hazmat endorsement for the first time must complete entry-level driver training (ELDT) before taking the relevant skills or knowledge test, per 49 CFR 380.603. Drivers who already held that class or endorsement before that date aren't required to take ELDT retroactively for it. Training has to come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry (TPR), per 49 CFR 380.609, and covers both a theory (knowledge) portion and behind-the-wheel training. If you're only adding a Tanker or Doubles/Triples endorsement, or you already held your CDL class before the 2022 cutoff, this step may not apply to you; check with your state's licensing agency. Training is also the biggest and most variable expense in the whole process; see ourCDL cost breakdownfor a real, named training program example instead of an invented average.

  4. 4. Wait out the minimum holding period, then pass the skills test

    You can't take the skills test until at least 14 days after your CLP was first issued, per 383.25. The skills test itself has three parts under 49 CFR 383.113: a pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and safe on-road driving. You have to pass all three to qualify.

  5. 5. Get your CDL issued

    Once you've passed the skills test, your state issues the CDL itself, per 49 CFR 383.23, which requires the CDL to come from your state or jurisdiction of domicile. From there, any endorsement you're adding later (Tanker, Doubles/Triples, or ELDT-covered endorsements you didn't get the first time) generally repeats the relevant pieces of this same process: a knowledge test for the endorsement, ELDT if it applies, and in some cases a specific skills test.

Start practicing General Knowledge

Frequently asked questions

What's the first step to getting a CDL?

The first step is meeting the age and medical requirements, then passing a knowledge test to get your commercial learner's permit (CLP), required under 49 CFR 383.23. You can get a CLP starting at 18 under 383.25, though interstate and hazmat driving require you to be 21 under 391.11.

How long is a CLP valid?

A commercial learner's permit is valid for up to one year from when it was first issued, under 49 CFR 383.25, without having to retake the knowledge test. That gives you up to a full year to complete any required training and schedule your skills test. If it expires before you're done, you'll need to retake the knowledge test to get a new one.

When do I need entry-level driver training?

You need entry-level driver training (ELDT) if you're getting a Class A or Class B CDL, or a Passenger, School Bus, or Hazmat endorsement, for the first time, since February 7, 2022, under 49 CFR 380.603. Drivers who already held that class or endorsement before that date don't need it retroactively.

What does the CDL skills test involve?

The skills test has three parts under 49 CFR 383.113: a pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and safe on-road driving. You have to pass all three to qualify, and you can't take it until at least 14 days after your CLP was first issued, under 383.25.