Georgia License Classes: CP, D, C, CDL, M and More

Georgia’s Department of Driver Services issues nine driver’s license classes in Georgia, sorted by the driver’s age, the vehicle’s weight, and whether the driving is personal or commercial. The non-commercial classes are CP (learner’s permit), D (provisional), C (standard), E and F (heavy non-commercial), and M with MP (motorcycle and motorcycle permit). The commercial classes are CDL A, B, and C. Non-commercial classes are governed by Georgia Code § 40-5-23; commercial classes by § 40-5-150.

Class CP: The Learner’s Permit

The Class CP is where teen drivers start. You can apply at 15 after passing a vision exam and a written knowledge test.1Georgia.gov. Apply for a Georgia Learner’s Permit (Class CP) The permit costs $10 and is valid for two years, and the fee is non-refundable if you fail the test.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms

A CP holder can only drive when accompanied by someone who is at least 21, licensed to drive a Class C vehicle, physically capable of taking control, and sitting in the front passenger seat. You have to hold the CP for at least one year and one day before you can take the road test for a provisional license.3Georgia Department of Driver Services. How Do I Get a Learners Permit (Class CP)

Class D: The Provisional License

Once you turn 16 and have held your CP for the required year and a day, you can apply for a Class D provisional license. Before DDS will issue one, you must complete Joshua’s Law: 30 hours of classroom instruction plus supervised behind-the-wheel training, either six hours at a certified driving school with 40 hours of parent-supervised practice, or 40 hours of parent-taught training using the DDS Parent/Teen Driving Guide. Six of those hours must be at night.4Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements Seventeen-year-olds face the same Joshua’s Law requirements.

The Class D carries restrictions that stay in place until you turn 18:5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Teen Driving Laws FAQs

  • No driving between midnight and 5:00 AM, with no exceptions
  • First six months: only immediate family members as passengers
  • Second six months: one non-family passenger under 21 permitted

The license costs $10 and lasts five years. You also need to meet school enrollment requirements and have no convictions for major traffic violations.6Georgia Department of Driver Services. License Classes

Class C: The Standard Adult License

The Class C is what most Georgia adults carry. You qualify at 18, and if you already hold a Class D, you can upgrade online or through the DDS 2 GO mobile app without another road test.7Georgia Department of Driver Services. Class C License

A Class C covers:8Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-23 – Classes of Licenses

  • Any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) up to 26,000 pounds
  • Any such vehicle towing a trailer up to 10,000 pounds GVWR, or towing a heavier trailer if the combination stays at or below 26,000 pounds
  • Any three-wheeled motor vehicle steered with a steering wheel
  • Any recreational vehicle equipped as temporary living quarters (motorhome, camper, travel trailer) used solely for personal or family purposes, regardless of weight

That last point catches people off guard. A large motorhome or a fifth-wheel camper used as personal living quarters stays under the Class C in Georgia no matter what it weighs, a carve-out that doesn’t exist in every state. Farmers get a related exception: they can operate combinations up to 26,000 pounds total on a Class C when hauling agricultural products, livestock, or farm supplies to and from a farm.

Class E and Class F: Non-Commercial Heavy Vehicles

When a non-commercial vehicle exceeds what a Class C allows and doesn’t qualify for the recreational-vehicle carve-out, Georgia requires a Class E or Class F. Both classes require you to be at least 18, hold a valid Class C, and pass the knowledge and skills tests from the commercial driver’s manual.9Georgia Department of Driver Services. Non-Commercial E and F

Class E applies to non-commercial combination vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 pounds. The statute limits Class E to farmers transporting agricultural products, livestock, farm machinery, or farm supplies to and from a farm.8Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-23 – Classes of Licenses

Class F covers any single non-commercial vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, including such a vehicle towing a trailer up to 10,000 pounds. Class F has no farmer restriction and applies to anyone operating a heavy single vehicle for personal purposes.

Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL A, B, and C)

Driving a heavy or specialized vehicle for commercial purposes requires a CDL. Georgia issues three CDL classes:10Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-150 – Contents of License, Classifications, Endorsements and Restrictions

  • CDL Class A covers combination vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more when the towed unit exceeds 10,000 pounds. This is the tractor-trailer and long-haul freight class.
  • CDL Class B covers any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing a trailer that does not exceed 10,000 pounds. Large delivery trucks and transit buses generally fall here.
  • CDL Class C covers vehicles under 26,001 pounds that are either designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or used to transport hazardous materials requiring federal placarding.11Georgia Department of Driver Services. How Do I Apply for a Commercial (CDL) License (Class A, B, C)

Note that CDL Class C and non-commercial Class C share a letter but are entirely different licenses. A CDL costs $32 and lasts eight years, and all CDL applicants pay a separate $35 application fee.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms

CDL Endorsements

Certain cargo and vehicle configurations require endorsements added to your CDL. Georgia offers six:12Georgia Department of Driver Services. Adding CDL Endorsements

  • H (Hazardous Materials): required for hazmat loads. Knowledge test, TSA background check, and fingerprinting for both initial issuance and renewals. Valid for CDL A, B, or C.
  • N (Tank Vehicle): required for tankers. Knowledge test only. Valid for CDL A or B.
  • P (Passenger): required for passenger-for-hire vehicles. Knowledge and skills tests. Valid for CDL A, B, or C.
  • S (School Bus): required for school bus drivers. Knowledge and skills tests. Valid for CDL A, B, or C.
  • T (Double/Triple Trailers): required for pulling two or three trailers. Knowledge test only. Valid for CDL A only, and you must already hold a CDL rather than just a commercial learner’s permit.
  • X (Hazmat and Tank Combination): combines H and N. Knowledge test plus the same TSA background check and fingerprinting as H.

CDL Medical Certification

All CDL holders must self-certify into one of four medical categories based on whether they drive in interstate or intrastate commerce and whether their operations qualify for a federal exemption:13Georgia Department of Driver Services. CDL Med Cert

  • Non-Excepted Interstate: driving across state lines in regular commercial operations. You must maintain a current DOT medical card from an examiner on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
  • Non-Excepted Intrastate: driving only within Georgia for commercial purposes. State medical certification is required, which generally means a DOT physical.
  • Excepted Interstate: driving across state lines only in exempt activities such as school bus driving, government vehicles, fire and rescue, or transporting farm supplies within 150 air-miles. No federal medical card required.
  • Excepted Intrastate: driving only within Georgia in exempt activities such as operating city, county, state, or federal vehicles. No medical card required.

Class M and MP: Motorcycle Licenses

Operating a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle in Georgia requires either a Class M license or a Class MP instructional permit.14Georgia Department of Driver Services. Get Your Georgia Motorcycle License Georgia defines motorcycles as motor vehicles with up to three wheels in contact with the ground.

The Class MP permit is available at 16, subject to the same Joshua’s Law requirements as Class D, and comes with tight restrictions: daylight hours only, no passengers, no limited-access roadways such as interstates, and a DOT-approved helmet.15Georgia Department of Driver Services. Motorcycle Permit

For a full Class M, you must be at least 17 and pass a motorcycle skills test, either at a DDS Customer Service Center or by completing a Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program course and presenting the 90-day test waiver.16Georgia Department of Driver Services. Class M Motorcycle License The Class M can be added alongside a car license; you don’t give up your Class C to get one.

Fees and How Long Each License Lasts

Georgia’s licensing fees are straightforward:2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms

  • Class CP: $10, valid for 2 years. Repay the fee for each testing attempt if you fail.
  • Class D: $10, valid for 5 years.
  • Class C, E, F, or M: $32, valid for 8 years.
  • CDL Class A, B, or C: $32 plus a $35 CDL application fee, valid for 8 years.
  • Online or app renewal: $5 discount off the standard license fee.

Renewals can be done online, through the DDS 2 GO app, or at a Customer Service Center, and the renewed license is valid for up to eight years.17Georgia Department of Driver Services. Renew a License or ID

Moving to Georgia With a License From Another State

If you move to Georgia with a valid license from another state, visit a DDS Customer Service Center with documentation proving your identity, residential address, U.S. citizenship or lawful status, and full Social Security number. You must surrender your current out-of-state license.18Georgia Department of Driver Services. Transfer Out-of-State Driver’s License/ID

If your out-of-state license is valid or has been expired by less than two years, you won’t need to retake the written or road tests. If it has been expired for more than two years, DDS will require the knowledge exam, road skills test, and a vision screening before issuing a Georgia license. The class you receive will match the equivalent Georgia class for the vehicles you’re licensed to drive.