California CDL License
Your road from Class C to commercial: class, permit, training and test
A California CDL license is the commercial driver’s license you need to drive heavy trucks, large combinations, buses and placarded hazmat loads for work. Most new drivers follow the same path: a regular Class C license first, then a commercial learner’s permit (CLP), entry-level training, a medical card and a three-part skills test.
By California DMV Appointments Editorial TeamUpdated November 2026Source: California DMV (dmv.ca.gov)
Before You Start
CHECK ALL 3- ✓Hold a California Class C license. DMV won’t issue a CLP without one, though a temporary or interim license is accepted.
- ✓Know your age limit. At 18 you can haul loads that start and end in California. Interstate loads and hazmat need age 21.
- ✓Plan for at least 14 days. You must hold the CLP that long before the skills test, and ELDT must be done before your test date.
Which CDL Class Do I Need?
Answer four questions about the vehicle you’ll drive for work.
A regular Class C license covers it, as long as nothing else on DMV’s commercial list applies.
How Do You Get a CDL in California?
Tell the roadmap your class, age, driving type and endorsements. It lists every step in order, the tests you’ll take, the DMV fee, and your real deadlines once you enter a CLP date. You can print or copy the checklist.
- Your application and fee stay valid for 12 months.
- You get three tries at each knowledge test.
- No knowledge tests start in the last 30 minutes before closing.
✓Your choices fit together.
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
CDL Classes in California: A, B and C
The class depends on what you drive, not who you drive for. A higher class covers the classes below it, so a Class A holder can also drive Class B and C vehicles with the right endorsements.
Class A
Heavy combinations- A combination with a GCWR of 26,001 lbs or more, towing a unit with a GVWR over 10,000 lbs
- Tractor-trailers and truck-and-trailer combinations
- Doubles and triples with the T endorsement
- Also covers Class B and Class C vehicles
Class B
Heavy single vehicles- A single vehicle with a GVWR over 26,000 lbs
- A vehicle with three or more axles weighing over 6,000 lbs
- Buses, with the P endorsement
- May tow a trailer of 10,000 lbs GVWR or less
Commercial Class C
Smaller, special loads- Vehicles under the Class B weight that carry placarded hazmat (H)
- Vans and small buses built for more than 10 people, driver included (P)
- Smaller tank vehicles, with the tank (N) endorsement
- Not the same as the regular Class C car license
You need a CDL if the vehicle has any of these
- GVWR of 26,001 lbs or more
- Combination GCWR of 26,001 lbs or more
- Seats for more than 10 people, driver included
- A towed trailer or vehicle of 10,001 lbs or more
- Three axles and over 6,000 lbs
- Placarded hazmat or hazardous waste
Big RVs and travel trailers driven for fun use noncommercial classes instead. Our California driver’s license guide explains those, and the Class C license you need first.
Tap the chart to open it full size.
Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP): Steps, Tests and Rules
The CLP lets you practice in a commercial vehicle with a licensed CDL driver beside you. You need it if you’ve never had a CDL, or if you’re adding a class or endorsement that needs a skills test.
- Hold a California Class C license. Carry it, because it validates the CLP.
- Complete the online CDL application (eDL 44C) before your visit.
- At the office, hand in your medical forms (MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876) and a DL 939 if you held a license elsewhere in the last 10 years.
- Verify your identity, and show residency documents if you’ve never had a California DL or ID card. Want your CDL as a REAL ID? Our California REAL ID guide lists the documents.
- Pay the nonrefundable fee. The application and fee stay valid for 12 months.
- Have your thumbprint scanned and photo taken, then pass the knowledge tests.
| Knowledge test | Who takes it |
|---|---|
| General Knowledge | Every CDL applicant |
| Air Brakes | Anyone driving a vehicle with air brakes |
| Combination Vehicles | Class A applicants |
| Doubles/Triples, Tank, Hazmat | Applicants adding T, N or H |
| Passenger, School Bus | Applicants adding P or S |
You get three tries at each test. Failing the same test three times means a new application. DMV doesn’t start knowledge tests in the last 30 minutes before an office closes. Study from the California Commercial Driver’s Handbook, which our California DMV handbook guide shows where to find.
180 days
A CLP lasts up to 180 days. You can renew it once for 180 more, if the new date stays within a year of your application.
CDL holder beside you
You drive only with a CDL holder who has the right class and endorsements for that vehicle.
Only N, P and S
Those are the only endorsements a CLP can carry. Tanks must be empty, and purged if they held hazmat.
No passengers
With P or S, you can’t carry passengers except examiners, inspectors, other trainees and your CDL holder.
ELDT Training: What California Requires
Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) is the federal training rule that took effect on February 7, 2022. California also requires at least 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training for an original Class A or B.
Who needs ELDT
- Anyone getting an original Class A or Class B CDL
- Class B drivers upgrading to Class A
- Anyone adding a first S, P or H endorsement
California paperwork: after training, your DL 1236 goes to DMV through the Virtual Field Office. Simulators don’t count toward the behind-the-wheel hours, and there’s no grace period.
You can book the skills test before you finish ELDT, but training must be complete before the appointment date. A CLP issued before February 7, 2022 is exempt only if you get the CDL before that CLP expires.
Medical Card and Self-Certification for a California CDL
Federal rules make every commercial driver certify the type of driving they do. That choice decides which medical rules apply to you. DMV asks for a new medical exam at least every two years, or sooner if your examiner issues a shorter certificate.
Non-Excepted Interstate
You drive, or expect to drive, across state lines and meet federal medical rules. DMV recommends NI if there’s any chance you’ll leave California.
Non-Excepted Intrastate
You drive only within California and must meet the medical requirements.
Excepted Interstate
You cross state lines but only in operations exempt from federal medical qualification rules.
Excepted Intrastate
You drive only in California in operations exempt from those qualification rules.
Interstate drivers
See an examiner listed on FMCSA’s National Registry ↗. The examiner sends your medical forms electronically through the National Registry, and DMV posts them within one business day.
Intrastate drivers
You can choose your own medical professional and still turn in paper forms in person, by mail or through the Virtual Field Office. Your employer may submit them for you.
Keep it current
If your medical isn’t valid, your commercial driving privilege isn’t valid until DMV receives a new one. To change your category later, file a DL 694.
What’s on the California CDL Skills Test?
After at least 14 days with your CLP, book the skills test online or at 1-800-777-0133, and bring a vehicle of the class you’re testing for. Our California DMV appointment guide explains how booking works, and the California DMV locations guide shows where the Commercial Drive Test Centers fit in.
Vehicle inspection
Point to or touch key safety parts and explain each one. DMV lets you use its Vehicle Inspection Checklist during the test.
Basic control skills
At sites using DMV’s modernized test, the maneuvers are:
- Forward stop
- Straight line backing
- Forward offset tracking
- Reverse offset tracking
Road test
Drive a route with mixed traffic, wear your seat belt and finish without a crash or moving violation. DMV says the road test is given entirely in English.
Failing any part postpones the rest of the test. A valid CDL from another state (current or expired less than two years), a DL 170 from an authorized employer, or a DL 965 for military experience can waive the skills test.
2026 California CDL Changes You Should Know
Federal and state rules for commercial drivers shifted a lot over the past year. These changes are spread across several DMV pages and notices, so here they are in one place.
Non-domiciled CDLs on hold
DMV says it can’t issue, reissue or renew limited-term legal presence (non-domiciled) CDLs until further notice. On March 6, 2026, DMV canceled about 13,000 of them under federal requirements.
English proficiency checks
Under DMV’s 2026 emergency regulations, applicants complete an English proficiency assessment before the skills test. Current CDL holders who get a CHP out-of-service notice take a DMV assessment. Fail it twice and they must pass an English-only knowledge test, or their license is restricted to Class C.
Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
DMV can’t issue, renew, upgrade or transfer a CDL or CLP for a driver with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status, and removes commercial privileges until the return-to-duty process is done.
Electronic medical records
For interstate drivers, National Registry examiners submit your forms within 24 hours, FMCSA forwards them, and DMV posts them within one business day. Since July 27, 2026, interstate drivers can’t turn in their own paper medicals.
Where official sources don’t match
- Behind-the-wheel hours. DMV’s CDL page lists a 15-hour federal behind-the-wheel minimum, but FMCSA’s ELDT rule sets no minimum hours and is proficiency-based. California’s own 15-hour rule for an original Class A or B applies either way.
- Who can apply. DMV’s Commercial Driver Information page says applicants “must be a U.S. Citizen,” while its main CDL page describes the pause as covering non-domiciled licenses only. Lawful permanent residents should confirm with DMV before applying.
- Knowledge test languages. DMV’s CDL pages don’t list which languages the commercial knowledge tests come in. U.S. DOT announced in February 2026 that it plans to make CDL testing English-only nationwide, and several states have already switched. Ask DMV which languages are offered when you book.
How Much Does a California CDL Cost?
DMV’s fee for an original commercial Class A or B license is $100. These are DMV’s own fees. Training, the medical exam and the TSA hazmat check are paid separately.
| Commercial license service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Class A or B, original | $100 |
| Class A or B, renewal | $59 |
| Commercial Class C, original or renewal | $59 |
| Commercial driving or skills retest | $46 |
| Replacement (lost or stolen) | $44 |
| Adding tank, doubles/triples or hazmat (A or B) | $59 |
| Adding a passenger endorsement (A or B) | $100 |
| Removing an air brake or automatic transmission restriction | $100 |
Tips That Save Time and Money on Your CDL
These come from how DMV’s rules fit together. They aren’t extra requirements, just ways to avoid a second trip or a second fee.
Test in the right truck
A test in a vehicle without air brakes or with an automatic transmission can leave a restriction that costs $100 and a new driving test to remove.
Check the school first
ELDT only counts from a provider on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry. FMCSA has been cracking down on noncompliant CDL schools, so check the listing right before you pay.
Look up your Clearinghouse status
A “prohibited” status stops DMV from issuing anything. Clear it up before you pay the application fee.
Pick NI if unsure
DMV itself recommends Non-Excepted Interstate if there’s any chance you’ll cross a state line, so you don’t need a corrected license later.
Watch the 12-month clock
Book training and the skills test early so the 180-day CLP doesn’t run out before you’re ready.
Practice the checklist
You can use DMV’s Vehicle Inspection Checklist during the test, so practice with that exact sheet beforehand.
California CDL License FAQs
How old do you have to be to get a CDL in California?
You can get a CLP and CDL at 18 to drive loads that start and end in California. You must be 21 to haul interstate cargo or hazardous materials.
How long do you have to hold a CLP before the skills test?
At least 14 days after the CLP is first issued. The same wait applies to upgrades and endorsement changes that need a skills test.
How long is a California CLP valid?
Up to 180 days. You can renew it for another 180 days if the new expiration date is no more than one year from your application date.
Do I need ELDT for a California Class B CDL?
Yes. ELDT is required for an original Class A or B license, an upgrade from B to A, and a first S, P or H endorsement.
How much does a California CDL cost?
DMV charges $100 for an original commercial Class A or B license and $59 for a commercial Class C. Each skills retest costs $46.
Can I drive a commercial truck out of state at 18?
No. Drivers 18 to 20 can haul only loads that start and end in California. Interstate driving starts at 21.
Is the California CDL road test in English?
Yes. DMV says the road test is given entirely in English, and its 2026 emergency regulations add an English proficiency assessment before the skills test.
Can non-domiciled drivers get a California CDL right now?
No. DMV says it can’t issue, reissue or renew limited-term legal presence (non-domiciled) CDLs until further notice.