To get a Class B CDL in Texas, you’ll pass a DOT physical, self-certify the type of driving you plan to do, earn a Commercial Learner’s Permit by passing written knowledge tests, complete federally required Entry-Level Driver Training, hold your CLP for at least 14 days, and then pass a three-part skills test in a Class B vehicle. A Class B license covers a single vehicle weighing 26,001 pounds or more, a trailer up to 10,000 pounds, and buses designed for 24 or more passengers, which takes in straight trucks, dump trucks, box trucks, city transit buses, and most school buses.1State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 522-041 – Classifications
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 18. Under 21, your license carries a restriction limiting you to intrastate commercial driving; at 21, that restriction can be removed and you can haul across state lines. You also need a valid Texas driver’s license and proof of Texas residency.
Your driving record matters. Certain offenses, including DUI convictions or using a commercial vehicle in a felony, can disqualify you outright. If your record has anything serious on it, check with a DPS office before you spend money on training.
The DOT Physical and Self-Certification
Every CDL applicant needs a medical exam by a certified examiner listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry. The examiner checks vision, hearing, blood pressure, and general fitness for commercial driving, and if you pass, issues a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (Form MCSA-5876).2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876
As of June 2025, certified examiners transmit results electronically to DPS through the FMCSA’s National Registry II system. Starting April 10, 2026, Texas will no longer accept paper medical certificates at all. You can confirm your certification has posted by checking the DPS License Eligibility portal, though it can take up to 10 business days to appear.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Commercial Driver License (CDL) Medical Certification Requirement
You’ll also self-certify the type of commercial driving you plan to do. Texas uses three forms: CDL-4 for interstate, CDL-5 for intrastate-only, and CDL-10 for drivers who qualify for a physical exemption.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Commercial Driver License (CDL) Medical Certification Requirement Most first-time Class B applicants staying in Texas file the CDL-5. If you later switch categories, you’ll need to update your certification at a DPS office.
Documents to Bring to DPS
A missing document means a wasted trip. Bring:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, such as a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or Permanent Resident Card
- Proof of identity
- Your Social Security number, which DPS verifies electronically with the federal government; the application cannot proceed if verification fails
- Your completed self-certification form (CDL-4, CDL-5, or CDL-10)
- Your Medical Examiner’s Certificate, either confirmed in the electronic system or on paper until April 2026
- Current Texas vehicle registration for each vehicle you own, or a signed statement that you own none
- Proof of insurance for each vehicle you own
The vehicle registration and insurance requirements catch people off guard. They apply to your personal vehicles, not the commercial vehicle you plan to drive.4Texas Department of Public Safety. How Do I Apply for a Commercial Driver License
The Commercial Learner’s Permit
You cannot go straight to the skills test. Federal and Texas law require a Commercial Learner’s Permit first, which you get by passing written knowledge tests at a DPS Driver License office. The CLP lets you practice on public roads with a licensed CDL holder (age 21 or older, holding the same class of CDL) in the front passenger seat.5eCFR. 49 CFR 383.25 – Commercial Learner’s Permit
A Texas CLP is valid for 180 days or until your Texas driver’s license expires, whichever comes first. You can renew it once, up to 30 days before expiration, without retaking knowledge tests.4Texas Department of Public Safety. How Do I Apply for a Commercial Driver License The 180-day window creates real urgency. Let it lapse and you’re starting the knowledge tests over.
Knowledge Tests
DPS gives the exams in a set order: Texas Commercial Rules first, then General Knowledge, then Air Brakes if your intended vehicle uses them, and any endorsement tests you need such as Passenger or School Bus.4Texas Department of Public Safety. How Do I Apply for a Commercial Driver License Each is multiple choice with an 80% passing score. Study the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Handbook, which DPS publishes online.
Take the air brake test seriously. Skip it or fail it and your CDL carries an “L” restriction permanently barring you from driving any commercial vehicle with air brakes.6Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License Endorsements and Restrictions Most Class B vehicles have air brakes, so that restriction would gut your job options.
The 14-Day Hold
Once you pass, DPS issues your CLP, and you must hold it for at least 14 days before you can take the skills test.4Texas Department of Public Safety. How Do I Apply for a Commercial Driver License Use those two weeks for practice and to complete your required training.
Entry-Level Driver Training
Federal law requires all first-time Class B applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test. DPS verifies completion through the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry and will not let you sit for the skills exam without it.7Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Training Provider Requirements Frequently Asked Questions
ELDT has two parts: theory (classroom or online instruction covering rules, safety, and vehicle systems) and behind-the-wheel training (range maneuvers and on-road driving in an actual commercial vehicle). Federal rules set no minimum hours. Training is proficiency-based, so your instructor must certify that you have demonstrated competence in each required skill area.8Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
The provider must be listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. Schools not on the registry don’t count, however good the instruction. The registry is searchable by location and CDL class.
Limited exemptions apply. If you already held a CDL or obtained your CLP before February 7, 2022, or you qualify for a skills test exception under federal regulations, ELDT does not apply.8Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
The Skills Test
The skills test has three parts, given in order, and you must pass each to move on.
Pre-Trip Inspection
You walk around the vehicle and explain to the examiner what you’re checking and why: engine compartment, cab interior, external components, lights, tires, brakes, and coupling devices. Memorizing a checklist isn’t enough. You point to components and describe what a defect would look like. Training programs drill this hard because students underestimate it.
Basic Vehicle Control
In a controlled area, usually a parking lot or testing pad, you perform maneuvers like straight-line backing, offset backing, and parallel parking or alley docking depending on the site. Each maneuver has boundaries and a limited number of pull-ups. Crossing a boundary or running out of pull-ups fails that maneuver.
Road Test
You drive on public roads while the examiner scores turns, lane changes, speed management, intersection approaches, and general vehicle control. Safe habits count: mirror checks, proper signaling, smooth braking, and how you handle traffic.
Providing the Test Vehicle
You supply a Class B vehicle for the test, properly registered, insured, and in safe operating condition. A licensed CDL holder must drive it to the testing site. You can schedule the skills test at a DPS office or through a certified third-party testing provider.9Texas Department of Public Safety. CDL Third Party Skills Testing Program Third-party sites are often faster to schedule, which matters while your 180-day CLP clock runs.
If you fail any part, you can retest after a waiting period. Skills test appointments in Texas can book weeks out, so a failure costs time as much as money.
Restrictions Tied to Your Test Vehicle
The vehicle you use for the skills test shapes what you can drive afterward. Federal regulations impose automatic restrictions based on its equipment:10eCFR. 49 CFR 383.95 – Restrictions
- Test in an automatic and you get an “E” restriction barring you from manual commercial vehicles. Many employers still run manuals.
- Skip or fail the air brake test, or test in a vehicle without air brakes, and you get an “L” restriction barring you from any commercial vehicle with air brakes.
- Test in a vehicle with air-over-hydraulic brakes rather than full air brakes and you get a “Z” restriction barring you from full air brake systems.
Removing a restriction later means retaking the skills test in a vehicle with the right equipment. It’s much easier to test in the right vehicle the first time. If you’re training through a school, confirm what type of vehicle they use for testing before you enroll.
Fees and Getting the Card
A new Class B CDL in Texas costs $97 for applicants ages 18 through 84 and is valid for eight years. Adding a Hazardous Materials endorsement changes the fee to $61 for a five-year license. Applicants 85 and older pay $26 for a two-year license.11Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees These amounts include a $1 administrative fee waived for mail transactions.
After passing all tests, you complete the application at a DPS Driver License office with your documents. DPS takes your photograph and fingerprints. You typically leave with a temporary license, and the permanent card arrives by mail.
One thing to know going forward: keep your medical certification current. If it lapses, your CDL is downgraded and you lose commercial driving authority until you pass a new DOT physical and the result posts to your record.