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Drivers

Overview

Drivers have been required to have a commercial driver's license (CDL) in order to drive certain commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) since April 1, 1992. The types of vehicles and operations requiring a CDL are outlined below. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has developed and issued standards for State testing and licensing of CDL holders. These standards require States to issue CDLs to certain CMV drivers only after the driver passes knowledge and skills tests administered by the State and related to the type of vehicle the driver expects to operate. Drivers are required to obtain and hold a CDL if they operate in interstate, intrastate, or foreign commerce and drive a vehicle that meets one or more of the classifications of a CMV described below. Restrictions are placed on a CDL when a driver takes the Skills Test in a vehicle which lacks critical equipment present in particular types of CMVs. Examples of these restrictions are listed below. Therefore, to avoid restrictions, drivers should take the Skills Test in the same type of vehicle for which they are seeking a CDL to operate.

Note: Beginning February 7, 2022, entry-level drivers will be subject to the requirements in the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations. This includes drivers applying to:

  • Obtain a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time;

  • Upgrade an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL; or

  • Obtain a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.

The ELDT regulations establish a Federal standard for training CDL applicants. Applicants must successfully complete this training before they will be permitted to take the CDL skills test or, in the case of the H endorsement, the knowledge test. Drivers will search for a training provider using the upcoming Training Provider Registry. For more information, visit https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.

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