How to Get a CDL in Tennessee: Permit, Training, and Skills Test

To get a CDL in Tennessee, you need to be at least 18, pass a DOT physical, complete federally required entry-level driver training for most license classes, pass the knowledge tests to get a Commercial Learner Permit, wait at least 14 days, then pass a three-part skills test at a state or third-party testing center. Fees run $56 to $64 depending on class, and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security issues the license through its Full-Service Driver Services Centers.

Who Can Apply

You must be 18 to apply. Drivers under 21 are restricted to intrastate driving only, meaning you cannot cross state lines for commercial purposes until your 21st birthday. Hauling hazardous materials also requires you to be 21, even if the route stays inside Tennessee.¹

You also need to be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and a Tennessee resident. Pull your driving record before you spend money on training. Certain serious driving offenses and prior drug or alcohol violations can disqualify you before you begin.

Pick a Class and Endorsements

Tennessee issues three commercial classes based on vehicle weight.² Class A covers combination vehicles rated over 26,000 pounds where the towed unit is over 10,000 pounds, which is most tractor-trailer work. Class B covers single vehicles over 26,000 pounds, including dump trucks, large buses, and concrete mixers. Class C covers smaller vehicles that either carry placarded hazardous materials or are designed for 16 or more passengers including the driver.

Class A also lets you operate Class B and C vehicles, and Class B covers Class C. Test for the highest class you’ll actually need so you don’t have to come back later for an upgrade.

Endorsements are separate permissions added to your license. The common ones are H (hazardous materials), N (tank vehicle, 1,000 gallons or more), P (passenger), S (school bus), T (double or triple trailers, Class A only), and X (hazmat and tank combined). H, P, and S each require a knowledge test; P and S also require a skills test in that type of vehicle. H requires a TSA background check on top of the knowledge test.¹

Get the DOT Physical and Self-Certify

Every applicant needs a medical exam from a provider on FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, which you can search by ZIP code.³ The examiner checks vision, hearing, blood pressure, and general physical condition under 49 CFR Part 391.⁴ If you pass, you’ll get a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, sometimes called a DOT medical card, which the Driver Services Center records in the state database.

You also need to self-certify the type of driving you plan to do. The four categories are Non-Excepted Interstate, Excepted Interstate, Non-Excepted Intrastate, and Excepted Intrastate.⁵ Non-Excepted Interstate is the standard choice for most commercial drivers: it requires a current federal medical certificate on file and qualifies you for both interstate and intrastate work. The excepted categories cover narrower situations like certain school transportation or government vehicle operation and don’t require the federal medical certificate.

Complete Entry-Level Driver Training

Federal rules require standardized training before you can take the skills test. Entry-Level Driver Training applies to first-time Class A and Class B applicants, Class B holders upgrading to Class A, and first-time applicants for the S, P, or H endorsement.⁶ It does not apply to a first-time Class C CDL, and it does not apply when a current Class A holder adds an N or T endorsement.

Training has a theory portion and a behind-the-wheel portion; the hazmat endorsement requires theory only. There is no federal minimum hour count. Your provider decides when you’re proficient, with a minimum 80 percent score on the theory assessment.⁷ Most full CDL programs run three to six weeks, with tuition generally between $3,500 and $6,000.

The school must be listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry. When you finish, the school submits your record electronically, and Tennessee verifies it before scheduling your skills test. If the school isn’t on the registry, the training doesn’t count.

Documents and Where to Apply

Apply in person at a Full-Service Driver Services Center. Not every location handles CDL work, so check the Department of Safety’s location tool and filter by the service you need; the road test happens at a designated CDL Skills Test Center or a certified third-party site.⁸

Bring:

Proof of citizenship or lawful status: valid U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, or permanent resident card.
Your physical Social Security card.
Two proofs of Tennessee residency, such as utility bills, bank statements, or a lease.
Your Medical Examiner’s Certificate from the DOT physical.
Your completed Self-Certification form.

Pass the Knowledge Tests and Get Your CLP

At the center, you’ll take a vision screening followed by computerized knowledge tests. Everyone takes the general knowledge exam. You’ll then take additional tests for air brakes, combination vehicles (Class A), and each endorsement you’re pursuing.¹ Study the Tennessee Commercial Driver License Manual first; the questions come directly from it.

Pass those exams and you get a Commercial Learner Permit, valid up to one year from the date of issuance.⁹ If the permit expires before you pass the skills test, you’ll have to retake the knowledge exams.

Restrictions can be added to the CLP based on which tests you took. Skip the air brake test and your permit (and later your CDL) will bar you from driving air-brake-equipped vehicles until you pass that test and retest on a vehicle equipped with air brakes.

Practice on Your Permit and Wait 14 Days

The CLP lets you drive a commercial vehicle on public roads for practice, but only with a licensed CDL holder in the front passenger seat who has the correct class and endorsements and is actively supervising.⁹

Federal rules also impose a 14-day waiting period. You cannot take the skills test until at least 14 days after your CLP is issued.¹⁰ Use the time for pre-trip inspection drills, backing maneuvers, and road driving. If you went through a school, this is usually the behind-the-wheel portion of your ELDT program.

Pass the Skills Test

The skills test has three parts.¹¹ The pre-trip vehicle inspection asks you to walk the vehicle and explain each component you’re checking. Basic vehicle control is done in a controlled area with maneuvers such as straight-line backing, offset backing, and parallel parking or alley docking. The on-road drive covers turns, lane changes, intersections, and general handling on public roads.

Bring a vehicle that matches the class and endorsements you’re testing for. Testing for Class A means showing up with a tractor-trailer, not a straight truck. Many driving schools provide the test vehicle, and some third-party sites rent one; confirm arrangements before your test date if your program doesn’t include a vehicle.

You can test at a state-run CDL Skills Test Center or at a certified third-party location; the Department of Safety publishes a list of authorized third-party testers by county.¹ Third-party sites often have shorter wait times but may charge their own testing fee on top of the state fee.

Fees and Getting the License Issued

Tennessee CDL fees are set by statute:¹²

Class A license: $64
Class B or Class C license: $56
Commercial upgrade (for example, Class B to Class A): $15

The Commercial Learner Permit costs the same as the license class you’re applying for, which trips people up. A Class A CLP is $64, not a lower separate permit fee.¹²

After you pass all three parts of the skills test, return to a Driver Services Center. The examiner records your scores in the state system and the center issues your CDL with the endorsements printed on it. You’re then authorized to drive commercially within the scope of your class and endorsements.

Extra Steps for a Hazmat Endorsement

Hauling hazardous materials adds a TSA security threat assessment on top of the knowledge test, and it takes weeks, so start it early.¹³ File the TSA HAZPRINT application online or by phone, pay the $86.50 fee (credit card, money order, or certified check), and get fingerprinted at a TSA-approved enrollment center. Bring two forms of ID to the fingerprinting appointment.

TSA runs the background check and sends results to you and to the Tennessee Department of Safety. Only after TSA clears you can you take the hazmat knowledge test, and the background check must have been completed within the previous 90 days.¹³ Holders of a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential may qualify for a reduced $41 rate.¹⁴

What to Know About Keeping Your CDL

Since November 2024, Tennessee must query FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse before issuing, renewing, upgrading, or transferring any CDL or CLP. A “prohibited” status blocks issuance until you complete the return-to-duty process.¹⁵ This rarely affects first-time applicants, but any future positive test, alcohol violation, or refusal will land there and can downgrade your CDL.

Federal law also imposes mandatory disqualification periods that apply whether you were driving a commercial vehicle or your personal car.¹⁶ A first DUI, hit-and-run, or felony committed with a commercial vehicle carries a one-year disqualification, three years if hazmat was involved, and a second major offense is a lifetime disqualification. Two serious violations within three years (speeding 15 over, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, or a traffic violation tied to a fatal crash) trigger a 60-day disqualification; three within three years means 120 days. That’s why many CDL holders contest routine tickets rather than pay the fine.

1
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Commercial Driver License
2
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-102 – Chapter Definitions
3
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA National Registry
4
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 391 – Qualifications of Drivers and Longer Combination Vehicle (LCV) Driver Instructors
5
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation I Should Self-Certify
6
Training Provider Registry. ELDT Applicability
7
Training Provider Registry. Frequently Asked Questions – Training Provider Registry
8
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Driver Service Locations and Appointments
9
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.25 – Commercial Learner’s Permit
10
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Get a Commercial Driver’s License
11
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Tennessee Commercial Driver License Manual
12
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-323 – Fees
13
Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME)
14
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
15
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse – CDL Downgrades
16
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers