CDL permit, knowledge and skills tests

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the steps from regular license to CDL in the right order.
• You can explain what a CLP lets you do and what it does not.
• You can name the knowledge tests that match your class and endorsements.
• You can describe the three parts of the CDL skills test.

What you need to know and understand

• You must already hold a valid regular driver's license from the same state that issues your CLP.
• A CLP is valid for no more than one year from the date it is first issued.
• You cannot take the CDL skills test until at least 14 days after your CLP was first issued.
• While driving on a CLP, a CDL holder with the right class and endorsements must supervise you, normally from the front passenger seat.
• Only the P, S and N endorsements can be added to a CLP, each with its own restrictions; hazardous materials are not allowed.
• Before issuing or upgrading a CLP or CDL, the state checks the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

Your route from regular license to CDL

1. Pass a DOT medical exam with a certified medical examiner and get your medical examiner's certificate (if you will drive in interstate commerce).
2. Apply at your state DMV, bring identity and residency documents, and pay the fees (varies by state).
3. Pass the knowledge tests for your class and any endorsements to receive your CLP.
4. Hold the CLP for at least 14 days and practice under supervision.
5. Complete federal entry-level driver training with a registered provider if you need it (first Class A or B, upgrade, or first P, S or H endorsement).
6. Pass the three-part skills test in a vehicle that represents the class you want.

Which knowledge tests you take

Everyone takes the general knowledge test. Most states then add an air brakes test if your vehicle has air brakes, and a combination vehicles test for Class A. Each endorsement has its own test: passenger, school bus, tank, doubles and triples, and hazardous materials. The number of questions and the pass mark are set by your state, so look them up in your state CDL manual.

The three parts of the skills test

In most states you must pass each part before moving to the next, so a failed inspection can end the test early.

• Pre-trip vehicle inspection: you show the examiner how to check each safety part of the vehicle and explain what you are looking for.
• Basic vehicle control: off-road exercises such as straight-line backing and other backing maneuvers, carried out slowly and with control.
• On-road driving: real traffic, turns, lane changes, intersections and, where the route allows, railroad crossings and freeways.

Life on a CLP

A CLP is a learning document, not a license to work alone. With a P or S on your CLP you cannot carry passengers other than examiners, trainees, inspectors and your supervising CDL holder. With N you can only drive an empty, purged tank. If your CLP is about to expire before you test, you may have to retake the knowledge tests, so plan your training dates.

Common mistakes

• Booking the skills test before the 14-day CLP waiting period ends. Count from the date the CLP was first issued.
• Skipping entry-level training because you can already drive a truck on a farm or job site. If it is required, you cannot sit the skills test without it.
• Testing in a borrowed vehicle with different brakes or transmission from the one you will drive. This can add restrictions.
• Letting the medical card lapse. A lapsed medical certificate can lead to your commercial privileges being downgraded.

Test yourself: CDL permit, knowledge and skills tests

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• NC DMV Permit Test
• DC DMV Permit Test
• DC Permit Practice Test