To get a Class B CDL in Virginia, you need to pass a DOT physical, complete federally required Entry-Level Driver Training, obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit from the DMV, hold that permit for at least 14 days, and then pass a three-part skills test. Plan on several weeks from start to finish. The pace depends mostly on how quickly you finish training and get a skills test on the calendar.
A Class B license covers any single vehicle weighing 26,001 pounds or more, plus a towed vehicle up to 10,000 pounds. Straight trucks, dump trucks, box trucks, and large buses all fall under it.
Confirm You Qualify
You must be at least 18 to hold a Virginia-only CDL and at least 21 to drive commercially across state lines. Drivers between 18 and 20 get a “K” restriction that keeps them inside Virginia. You also need a valid Virginia driver’s license and two documents proving Virginia residency.
Pass the DOT Medical Exam
Every CDL applicant has to pass a physical with a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry. Vision has to be at least 20/40 in each eye (corrected is fine), 20/40 binocular, with a horizontal field of vision of at least 70 degrees in each eye and the ability to recognize red, green, and amber traffic signals.1eCFR. 49 CFR 391.41 The examiner also checks hearing, blood pressure, and general fitness.
When you pass, you receive a Medical Examiner’s Certificate. Submit a copy to the Virginia DMV and pick a self-certification category. Most Class B applicants select “non-excepted interstate” if they’ll ever cross state lines or “non-excepted intrastate” if they’ll stay inside Virginia. Narrower groups such as certain government employees, school bus operators, and some farm-supply drivers may qualify as “excepted,” which carries lighter filing rules.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operation I Should Self-Certify To
Budget roughly $75 to $150 for the exam, depending on the provider.
Complete Entry-Level Driver Training
Federal rules require anyone pursuing a first-time Class B CDL to complete Entry-Level Driver Training through a provider on the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry. The Virginia DMV will not let you schedule or sit for the skills test until the provider reports your completion to the federal registry.3Training Provider Registry. Frequently Asked Questions
The curriculum has three parts: theory instruction, behind-the-wheel range training, and behind-the-wheel public road training. There is no required minimum number of hours, but the provider must cover every topic in the federal curriculum and verify your proficiency, and you have to score at least 80 percent on the theory assessment before moving to the driving portions.4Training Provider Registry. ELDT Curricula Summary Range work covers pre-trip inspections, straight-line backing, alley dock backing, offset backing, and parallel parking. Public road training puts you in real traffic. If you plan to add a Passenger or School Bus endorsement, you also need endorsement-specific ELDT.
Tuition is set by the school, not the state. Search tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov for approved providers near you and confirm a school is on the registry before you pay a deposit.
Get Your Commercial Learner’s Permit
Apply in person at any Virginia DMV customer service center. Bring proof of identity, proof of legal presence, your Social Security number, two proofs of Virginia residency, and your current Virginia driver’s license. Your Medical Examiner’s Certificate also needs to be on file.5Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Apply for a Commercial Driver’s License or Commercial Learner’s Permit
You’ll take a general knowledge test on the computer. If the vehicle you’ll be driving has air brakes, take the air brakes knowledge test too, because skipping it will leave you with a restriction later. Each endorsement you want (Passenger, School Bus, Tanker, HazMat) also requires its own written test. The Virginia CDL Manual is the study resource for all of these, and you can only attempt each knowledge test once per business day. The permit itself costs $3.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginia DMV Fee Schedule
Once the CLP is in hand, federal law requires you to hold it for at least 14 days before you’re eligible for the skills test.7Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Get a Commercial Driver’s License During the wait you can practice in the type of vehicle you’ll test in, but only with a valid CDL holder seated beside you.
Pass the Skills Test
The skills test has three parts, and you take them in order:
- Vehicle inspection. You walk around the vehicle and show the examiner you can identify key components and explain what you’re checking.
- Basic vehicle control. Backing, turning, and parking maneuvers in a controlled area, mirroring your ELDT range work.
- On-road driving. Real traffic, with the examiner scoring your turns, lane changes, speed management, and overall control.
You can test at a DMV location or through a certified third-party tester authorized to administer the pre-trip inspection and road skills portions.8Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The Third-Party Tester Program The skills test can only be attempted once per business day.9Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver License (CDL) Skills Tests A missed DMV skills test appointment costs $50.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginia DMV Fee Schedule
Choose your test vehicle carefully, because it defines what you can legally drive. Test in an automatic and your license carries an “E” restriction limiting you to automatics. Test in a vehicle without air brakes and you’ll get an “L” restriction barring air-brake-equipped vehicles. The clean fix is to test in a vehicle that has every feature you’ll need on the job. If you end up with a restriction, you can remove it later by passing the relevant knowledge test and retaking the skills test in a vehicle that meets the higher standard.10Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. CDL Classifications, Endorsements and Restrictions
Pass all three parts and the DMV issues a temporary CDL on the spot. The permanent card arrives by mail.
Endorsements You Can Add
Each endorsement requires passing an additional knowledge test, and some add more steps:
- P (Passenger). For vehicles carrying passengers. You must also take the skills test in the type of passenger vehicle you plan to operate.
- S (School Bus). For school buses carrying 16 or more people including the driver. Requires ELDT specific to school bus operation.
- N (Tank Vehicle). For vehicles designed to transport liquids or gases in bulk.
- H (Hazardous Materials). For loads requiring hazmat placards. Cannot be transferred from another state; you must pass Virginia’s knowledge test.
- X. Combines N and H for hazardous liquid or gas loads.
The Double/Triple Trailers (T) endorsement does not apply to a Class B, since Class B covers single vehicles with only light towing.11Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-341.16 – Vehicle Classifications, Restrictions, and Endorsements
The HazMat endorsement adds a TSA Security Threat Assessment: fingerprints, a criminal history records check, an intelligence-related background check, and immigration status review. Virginia will not issue the endorsement until TSA grants clearance, which typically takes two to eight weeks.12eCFR. 49 CFR Part 1572 – Credentialing and Security Threat Assessments Clearance has to be renewed every five years.
What It Costs
The DMV side is modest:6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginia DMV Fee Schedule
- Commercial Learner’s Permit: $3
- CDL at $8 per year, $20 minimum, so an eight-year license is $64
- Missed skills test appointment: $50
Endorsement knowledge tests at the DMV are included in the CDL fee. The real money is outside the DMV: the DOT physical (roughly $75 to $150), ELDT tuition, and the TSA threat assessment fee if you’re adding HazMat.
Keeping Your CDL After You Get It
Virginia law treats commercial drivers more strictly than regular drivers, and some violations in your personal vehicle can still cost you the commercial license.
Two serious traffic violations within three years trigger a 60-day CDL disqualification; three within three years means 120 days. Serious violations include speeding 15 or more mph over the limit, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, and texting or using a handheld phone while driving a commercial vehicle. Driving a commercial vehicle without the right CDL class or endorsements also counts.13Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-341.20 – Disqualification for Multiple Serious Traffic Violations
Then there’s the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Every employer hiring a CDL driver must run a pre-employment query, and must check annually for all current CDL-holding employees.14Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. When Must Current and Prospective Employers Conduct a Query of a CDL Driver’s Clearinghouse Record A failed test, a refusal, or a related federal violation goes into the Clearinghouse and stays visible to every future employer who queries your record. Register at the Clearinghouse website so you can view your own file and consent to employer queries electronically. Violations get attached to your CDL number whether you’ve registered or not; registering just lets you see them.15Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Registration