How to Complete the DL-80CD: PA CDL Change or Replace Form

Pennsylvania’s DL-80CD Pennsylvania CDL application is the form current commercial driver’s license holders use to replace a lost or damaged card, change an address, correct a name, add or remove endorsements, or upgrade a class. It is not a renewal form. If your CDL expires within six months, use the DL-143CD instead.¹ Download the DL-80CD from PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services, complete Sections A and C on every submission, check the specific transaction you need in Section B, and either mail it in or bring it to a Driver License Center depending on what you’re changing.

What the DL-80CD Handles

Section B of the form lists the transactions the DL-80CD covers. Check the box that matches your reason for submitting:¹

Replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated CDL.
Address change (proof of new Pennsylvania residence required).
Name correction or change (in-person only, with original documents).
Adding or removing endorsements or restrictions, including Class M motorcycle, Hazmat, School Bus, and lens restrictions.
Request for a CDL camera card or photo license (requires notarization).
“Never Received” replacement for a CDL that was issued but never delivered. This option requires notarization and carries no fee.

Section A: Personal Information

Every DL-80CD begins with Section A, and PennDOT expects it filled in completely. Start with your driver’s license number, since that is the primary field used to match your application to your existing record. Below that, enter your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Signing the form authorizes the Social Security Administration to confirm your SSN with PennDOT.¹

Section A also asks for your height and eye color. There is no gender field on the DL-80CD. To change your gender designation, complete a separate DL-32 form and submit both applications in person at a Driver License Center.¹

Section C: Self-Certification of Operating Category

Federal regulations require every CDL holder to tell their state licensing agency what kind of commercial driving they do.² Section C captures that self-certification. Pick one of four categories:

Non-Excepted Interstate (NI): You drive or expect to drive across state lines and must hold a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate.³
Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA): You drive only within Pennsylvania and must meet state medical certification requirements under Title 67, Chapter 231.²
Excepted Interstate (EI): You cross state lines only for specific excepted activities such as school bus driving, government employment, emergency patient transport, or operating a fire or rescue vehicle. No federal medical certificate required.³
Excepted Intrastate (EA): You drive only within Pennsylvania for activities the state has determined do not require medical certification.³

If you do both excepted and non-excepted driving in the same commerce type, pick the non-excepted category, which is the more inclusive one. Choosing the wrong category can delay your application or create a medical documentation mismatch on your record.

Medical Certificate Fields for Non-Excepted Drivers

If you self-certify as NI or NA, you must keep a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate on file with PennDOT. Exam results are transmitted electronically from FMCSA’s National Registry directly to state licensing agencies, so you no longer need to hand-deliver a paper copy of Form MCSA-5876.⁴ The DL-80CD still asks for your medical examiner’s name, National Registry number, and certificate expiration date. Fill these in so PennDOT can cross-reference the electronic record.

If your medical certificate lapses and no updated record reaches PennDOT, your CDL can be downgraded to a non-commercial license. Some states initiate the downgrade within 30 to 60 days of expiration. Reinstating a downgraded CDL may require retaking knowledge and skills tests.¹

Supporting Documents by Transaction

Name Change or Correction

Name changes cannot be done by mail. Appear in person at a Driver License Center with original documents. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted. The document you bring depends on why the name is changing:¹

Marriage: your marriage certificate.
Court order: a certified copy of the court order granting the name change.
Return to birth name: your state-issued birth certificate with a raised seal.
Other name: your Social Security card plus two additional documents issued in the new name, such as tax records, a passport, a voter registration card, or government-issued photo ID.

Federal rules also require CDL holders to provide in-person proof of citizenship or legal presence, so bring a birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or equivalent.

Address Change

An address change can be handled by mail. Include one document showing your name and current Pennsylvania street address, such as an unexpired PA driver’s license or photo ID, a PA vehicle registration card, an auto insurance card, a computer-generated utility bill, postmarked mail or a package label from USPS, UPS, or FedEx, a W-2 or pay stub, a lease or mortgage document, or official tax records.¹ A P.O. Box can appear as a secondary mailing address but cannot be your only address; PennDOT needs a physical street address on file.

REAL ID Upgrade

Making your CDL REAL ID-compliant raises the documentation bar. You must present original or certified copies of proof of identity (a birth certificate with a raised seal or a valid U.S. passport), proof of your full Social Security number (such as your Social Security card or a W-2), and two separate proofs of your current Pennsylvania address.⁵ If your current legal name differs from the name on your birth certificate, bring documentation linking every name change in sequence: marriage certificates, divorce decrees, or court orders.

Adding a Hazmat Endorsement

Checking the Hazmat Endorsement box on Section B triggers additional steps beyond the DL-80CD. Every Hazmat applicant must pass a TSA Security Threat Assessment, which includes fingerprinting, an identity check, and a criminal background review. The TSA fee is $85.25 for new and renewing applicants, or $41.00 if you already hold a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). Pennsylvania residents should contact their local Driver License Center for fingerprinting instructions. TSA recommends starting at least 60 days before you need the endorsement, since processing can take several weeks. TSA clearance is valid for five years.⁶

Fees

PennDOT’s fee schedule for DL-80CD transactions is straightforward:

Change (including address change), correction, or replacement: $42.50.⁷
Upgrading your CDL class or adding an endorsement: $21.50.
Upgrading to transport hazardous materials: $43.50.⁸
“Never Received” replacement: no fee, but notarization required.

If you’re mailing the form, make your check or money order payable to “PennDOT,” not “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” At a Driver License Center in person, you can pay by debit or credit card, check, or money order. Driver License Centers do not accept cash.¹

How to Submit the DL-80CD

By Mail

For transactions that don’t require an in-person visit, such as a replacement or an address change, complete the DL-80CD, attach your check or money order and any required supporting documents, and mail everything to:¹

Bureau of Driver Licensing
P.O. Box 68272
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8272

Attach your payment to the form with a paperclip or staple so it doesn’t separate during processing.

In Person

Some transactions require a visit to a Driver License Center. Name changes, name corrections, gender designation changes, and any situation requiring original identity documents must be handled face-to-face. Bring the completed DL-80CD along with your original supporting documents. If you’re unsure whether your specific transaction requires an in-person visit, PennDOT’s customer call center at 717-412-5300 can confirm before you make the trip.¹

What Happens After You Submit

Once PennDOT processes your application, you receive a camera card in the mail within seven to ten business days. The camera card is not your license; it authorizes you to have your photo taken for the new CDL. Take the camera card and another form of identification, such as your current driver’s license, to any PennDOT Driver License and Photo License Center. Staff will verify your identity, take a new digital photograph, and produce your updated commercial driver’s license.⁹ Don’t sit on the camera card. It has an expiration window, and letting it lapse means requesting a new one, more waiting, and possibly another fee.

1
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. DL-80CD Pennsylvania Commercial Driver’s License Application
2
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Self-Certification/Medical Examiner’s Certification Fact Sheet
3
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operation I Should Self-Certify to With My State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA)?
4
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. NRII Learning Center
5
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. REAL ID Info for CDL Holders
6
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
7
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Payments and Fees
8
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Driver Licensing Fee Chart Fact Sheet
9
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit, and Photo IDs Frequently Asked Questions