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Commercial Driver License Holder — License Requirements by State
Operates commercial vehicles (Class A/B/C). Requires FMCSA-compliant state testing: written knowledge tests, a skills test, and a medical card.
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Commercial Driver License Holder license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Commercial Driver License Holder license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) — Motor Vehicle Division ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | California Department of Motor Vehicles ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | — | — | · Lic $75 | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles ↗ |
| GA | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Georgia Department of Driver Services ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Illinois Secretary of State — Driver Services ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Michigan Department of State (SOS) ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | — | — | · Lic $164.5 | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | New York State Department of Motor Vehicles ↗ |
| NC | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | — | — | · Lic $97 | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Texas Department of Public Safety ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | — | — | — | — | Yes — CDL issued under FMCSA standards; recognized nationwide via CDLIS (one CDL per driver) | Washington State Department of Licensing ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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