CDL License Classes / Endorsements
Required to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the towed vehicle is heavier than 10,000 pounds.
Allows operation of any commerical vehicle. (Tankers, Doubles/Triples and Passenger vehicles require additional endorsements.)
Must pass the following tests:
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes (if equipped)
- Combination Vehicle
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Basic Controls
- Driving/Skills
Required to operate any single vehicle that isn’t hitched to a trailer (commercial trucks that have an attached cab and cargo area with a combined weight greater than 26,000 pounds, as well as trucks with a detached towed cargo vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds).
Allows operation of various non-combination vehicles. Examples include: straight trucks, box trucks, dump trucks and large buses (city buses, tourist buses, and school buses).
Must pass the following tests:
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes (if equipped)
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Basic Controls
- Driving/Skills
Required to operate a single vehicle with GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds or a vehicle towing another vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds, or transports 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
Vehicles you may drive include small buses, tank trucks, hazmat vehicles.
Must pass the following tests:
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes (if equipped)
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Basic Controls
- Driving/Skills
Required to transport hazardous materials in reportable quantities, regardless of license class.
Must pass the following tests:
- Hazardous Materials
To receive this endorsement drivers must also pass an Entry-Level Driver Training course for Hazardous Materials and a background check, administered by the Transportation Safety Administration.
Required to operate vehicles designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
Must pass the following tests:
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes (if equipped)
- Passenger Endorsement
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Basic Controls
- Driving/Skills
License class associated with endorsement will be determined by vehicle used for final examination. Example: Driver may already have a Class A license, but if testing occurs in a non-articulated bus, passenger endorsement will only be valid for Classes B and C.
Required to operate vehicles designed to transport students.
Must pass the following tests:
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes (if equipped)
- School Bus Endorsement
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Basic Controls
- Driving/Skills
Tanker and Double/Triple endorsements only require knowledge testing; no additional theory training.
Requirements / Competencies - All License Classes
Anyone seeking a CDL for the first time or upgrading their CDL class, must satisfy the Theory portion of the entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements set forth by FMCSA. Trainees must achieve a minimum 80% score on all test modules.
To satisfy the Behind-the-Wheel (BTW) component of training, trainees must demonstrate ability and capability to safely operate a CMV, after which training hours are uploaded into the Federal Training Provider Register (TPR).
Finally, a state certified practical examination will be administered to evaluate three training components:
- Vehicle inspections
- Basic Control Skills
- Basic Driving Skills
All three test components conform to American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) testing requirements. All test results (pass or fail) are uploaded into the Commercial Skills Test Information Management System (CSTIMS). Upon passing the practical examination, the trainee will be issued paperwork to convert their CLP into a CDL.