CDL requirements overview in 2021
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a driver’s license required to operate large, heavy, or placarded hazardous material vehicles in the United States in commerce.
There are a several different types of commercial motor vehicles that require a driver to hold a valid commercial driver’s license.
You must pass both a written knowledge exam and a driving skills test, which are designed by your state.
| Type of License | Description | Types of Vehicles | Knowledge Exams | Skills Exams |
| Class A CDL | 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. | Truck/trailer combinations. Tanker vehicles. Tractor-trailer buses. Tractor-trailers. Livestock carriers. Flatbed trucks. | General Knowledge. Air Brakes. Combination Vehicles. | Pre-Trip Inspection. Basic control skills exercises. Road driving Exam. |
| Class B CDL | Required for drivers to operate a single vehicle that has a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or heavier or tow a vehicle not heavier than 10,000 pounds. | Straight trucks. Box trucks such as couriers, furniture delivery, delivery trucks. Dump trucks with a small trailer compartment. Large passenger buses that include city buses or school buses. Segmented buses. | General Knowledge. Air Brakes. | Pre-Trip Inspection. Basic control skills exercises. Road driving Exam. |
| Class C CDL | Required to operate a vehicle that is created to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or transport hazardous materials. | Small HazMat. Passenger vans. Combination vehicles not covered by Classes A or B. | General Knowledge. Passenger Transport. School Bus. Hazardous Materials. | Pre-Trip Inspection. Basic control skills exercises. Road driving Exam. |
Who can get a CDL?
The minimum age to apply for a CDL is typically 21. However, some states allow drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 to apply for a single-state CDL.
A single-state CDL allows the driver to only operate a commercial vehicle within the driver’s state of residence (intrastate driving). When the driver turns 21, that restriction is automatically removed.
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