The Arizona CDL manual is available as a free PDF on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division website, and it’s the official study guide for every knowledge test you’ll take on the way to a commercial driver license in the state.1Arizona Department of Transportation. Commercial Driver License Download it directly from ADOT rather than from a third party. The copyright page restricts reproduction rights to State Driver Licensing Agencies, so any site charging for the manual is selling something ADOT gives away.2Arizona Department of Transportation. Arizona Commercial Driver License Manual
The same ADOT page links to the separate Hazardous Materials Manual, which you’ll need if you plan to add an HME endorsement.3Arizona Department of Transportation. Arizona Commercial Driver License Hazardous Materials Manual Going straight to the ADOT PDF is also the only way to be sure you’re reading the current version, since traffic laws and federal regulations change regularly.
What’s Inside the Manual
The manual opens with safe-driving material that applies to every commercial vehicle: pre-trip inspections, basic vehicle control, gear shifting, following distance, and adjusting for weather and visibility. These chapters are the basis of the General Knowledge test that every CDL applicant takes regardless of license class.
From there the manual branches into specialized subjects. Cargo securement covers legal weight limits and the physics of tying down different load types. The air brakes section explains how compressors, governors, and emergency braking systems work. The combination vehicles chapters walk through coupling and uncoupling procedures and the handling characteristics of articulated rigs.
Endorsement material lives in its own chapters. Hazardous materials covers placards, shipping papers, and emergency response. Other chapters address tank vehicle dynamics, double and triple trailer handling, and passenger transport safety. Each endorsement chapter maps to a separate knowledge exam, so you only study the sections that match what you’re pursuing.
Which Chapters You Actually Need
Arizona issues three commercial license classes, and the class you want determines which core chapters you’ll be tested on.4Arizona Department of Transportation. Getting Your Commercial Driver License
- Class A covers combination vehicles where the towed unit has a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds and the combined weight exceeds 26,000 pounds. Tractor-trailers fall here.
- Class B covers single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or those towing a unit under 10,000 pounds. Straight trucks, large buses, and dump trucks fall here.
- Class C covers vehicles with a GVWR of 26,000 pounds or less that are designed to carry 16 or more passengers or that require hazmat placards.
Every applicant takes the General Knowledge test. Class A applicants also take Combination Vehicles, and most take Air Brakes. Beyond that, each endorsement you want adds a knowledge test drawn from the matching manual chapter: hazardous materials (H), tank (N), passenger (P), school bus (S), doubles/triples (T), and the combination hazmat-plus-tank (X). The school bus endorsement must be paired with the passenger endorsement. The passing score on every Arizona CDL knowledge test is 80%.
Documents You’ll Need to Apply
Studying is only half the preparation. Under ARS ยง 28-3153, Arizona cannot issue a CDL to anyone whose state of domicile is not Arizona or who cannot demonstrate English-language proficiency.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-3153 – Driver License Issuance, Prohibitions Federal regulation 49 CFR 383.71 sets the paperwork.6eCFR. 49 CFR 383.71 – Driver Application and Certification Procedures
For citizenship or lawful status, bring one of these: a valid U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship. Lawful permanent residents can use a valid Permanent Resident Card.
For Arizona domicile, bring one document showing your name and residential address in the state. ADOT’s checklist lists utility bills, rental agreements, and government-issued mail as acceptable.7Arizona Department of Transportation. Arizona Commercial Driver License Documentation Requirements One document is enough; older guides sometimes say two. You also provide your Social Security number for verification.
A valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate is required for anyone operating in non-excepted interstate or intrastate commerce.8Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical As of June 2025, new CDL applicants in the non-excepted interstate category no longer hand-deliver a paper certificate. The medical examiner transmits results electronically to FMCSA, which forwards them to Arizona.
Pick Your Self-Certification Category
Every applicant chooses one of four categories describing how they’ll use the license:9Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation I Should Self-Certify To
- Non-excepted interstate: driving across state lines for commercial purposes. The most common category; requires a federal medical certificate.
- Excepted interstate: driving across state lines only for specific exempt activities like transporting school children, operating government vehicles, or responding to emergencies. No federal medical certificate.
- Non-excepted intrastate: driving only within Arizona and meeting state medical requirements.
- Excepted intrastate: driving only within Arizona for state-exempted activities.
If your work straddles two categories, you must certify to the more restrictive one. Picking the wrong category means operating outside the scope of your certification, which creates legal and insurance problems.
Entry-Level Driver Training Comes Before Testing
Before you can take any CDL knowledge or skills test, federal rules require most applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) through a provider registered with FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.10Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) You need ELDT if you’re:
- Getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time
- Upgrading an existing Class B to a Class A
- Adding a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time
Training has theory and behind-the-wheel components. Federal rules don’t set a minimum classroom hours figure; your provider decides when you’ve shown proficiency.11Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry Level Driver Training After you finish, the provider must upload your certification to the Training Provider Registry within two business days.12Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Training Provider Registry Arizona’s MVD checks that registry before letting you test, so a slow upload can cost you a trip to the office.
Drivers who already held a CDL or relevant endorsement before February 7, 2022, are grandfathered. The same applies if you obtained a Commercial Learner’s Permit before that date, as long as you complete the CDL before the permit expires.
How the Testing Works
CDL knowledge exams are computer-based tests given at MVD offices or authorized third-party sites. Once you pass the required written tests, Arizona issues a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). The CLP lets you practice on public roads, but only with a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat.13Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Get a Commercial Drivers License It’s valid for up to 12 months.
Federal rules require you to hold the CLP for at least 14 days before taking the skills test.14eCFR. 49 CFR 383.25 – Commercial Learners Permit You must also have completed any required ELDT. The skills test has three parts:
- Vehicle inspection, where you walk around the vehicle and explain what you’re checking and why.
- Basic controls, where you perform straight-line backing, offset backing, and a forward stop exercise in a controlled area. Scoring accounts for pull-ups, encroachments past boundary lines, and final position.
- Road test, where you drive on public roads while the examiner evaluates turns, lane changes, intersections, railroad crossings, and overall control.
Pass, and the examiner approves your license. You get a temporary paper credential at the counter, and ADOT mails the permanent card to your verified Arizona address in about 10 days.15Arizona Department of Transportation. What to Expect When You Are Expecting Your Travel ID in the Mail
What It Costs
For a Class A or B CDL, both the learner’s permit and the skills test run $25 each, and the license itself is another $25. Expect roughly $75 total between permit, skills test, and license. Class C fees are $12.50 each at the same three stages. Adding a passenger or school bus endorsement to an existing CDL costs $5 for the skills test.
One housekeeping note that catches people out after licensing: most DOT medical certificates are valid for up to two years, and if your state agency doesn’t have a current certificate on file, your CDL is automatically downgraded. Reinstating it typically means retaking the skills test. Schedule your medical renewal well before the expiration date and check your MVD record afterward to confirm it posted.