How to Get a Class B License in North Carolina: Permit, Test, and Costs

To get a Class B CDL in North Carolina, you need to meet age and medical requirements, complete federally registered Entry-Level Driver Training, pass the CDL knowledge tests to earn a Commercial Learner’s Permit, hold that permit for at least 14 days, and then pass a three-part skills test at the NCDMV. The license lets you drive any single vehicle rated at 26,001 pounds or more and tow a trailer up to 10,000 pounds, which covers dump trucks, large buses, box trucks, and concrete mixers.¹

Who Qualifies

You must be at least 18 to drive commercially inside North Carolina. Crossing state lines or hauling hazardous materials pushes the minimum to 21.¹ You also need a valid North Carolina driver’s license already in hand and a clean driving record.

When you visit an NCDMV office, bring one document proving your age and identity, your Social Security card or one document showing your Social Security number, two documents proving North Carolina residency (or one government-issued document proving legal presence if you’re not a U.S. citizen), and proof of liability insurance from a provider licensed in the state.¹

Medical Certificate

Every CDL applicant needs a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, often called a DOT medical card. You get one by passing a physical performed by a provider listed on the FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.² The exam checks vision, hearing, blood pressure, and general fitness for commercial driving. A standard certificate lasts two years, though conditions like hypertension or diabetes can shorten it to one.³ Expect to pay roughly $50 to $200 out of pocket, since most health insurance plans don’t cover DOT physicals.

Along with the exam, you must self-certify your type of commercial driving by submitting a CDL-Med-1 form to the NCDMV. The form asks whether you drive in interstate or intrastate commerce and whether your driving is “excepted” or “non-excepted.”⁴ Most Class B drivers who stay inside North Carolina pick “non-excepted intrastate.” If you ever cross state lines, even occasionally, pick the interstate category instead.

Since June 28, 2025, North Carolina no longer accepts paper Medical Examiner’s Certificates handed in by drivers. Your examiner must submit the certificate electronically through FMCSA’s National Registry portal. Before you leave the appointment, confirm the electronic submission went through. A missing certificate can freeze your commercial driving privileges.⁵

Entry-Level Driver Training

Since February 2022, every first-time Class B applicant must complete Entry-Level Driver Training before taking the skills test. The school has to be listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. If it isn’t, your training won’t count.⁶

The curriculum has two parts: theory and behind-the-wheel. There’s no federal minimum for hours, but the school must cover every required topic and document your proficiency, and you need to score at least 80 percent on the theory assessments.⁶ Theory covers basic operation, pre- and post-trip inspections, hazard perception, hours-of-service rules, cargo handling, and drug and alcohol awareness. Behind-the-wheel training splits into range work (straight-line backing, alley dock, offset backing, parallel parking) and public road work (turns, lane changes, highway merging, speed and space management). All behind-the-wheel training must happen in a vehicle that actually requires a Class B CDL. Simulators don’t count.

Search for schools at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov by location and training type, filtering for Class B and for in-person versus online theory.⁷ Tuition for Class B programs typically runs between $3,000 and $10,000. Some employers cover the cost in exchange for a post-training work commitment.

Commercial Learner’s Permit

Before the skills test, you need a Commercial Learner’s Permit. Getting one means passing the CDL knowledge tests at an NCDMV office. For Class B, the General Knowledge test is required.⁸ Take the Air Brakes knowledge test at the same visit. Skipping it puts a restriction on your license that bars you from driving any vehicle with air brakes, and nearly every Class B truck on the road has them.

The North Carolina Commercial Driver’s License Handbook is the primary study resource. It covers the material on the General Knowledge test, including inspections, safe driving practices, cargo handling, and passenger transport.

The CLP is valid for 180 days and can be renewed once for another 180. You must hold it for at least 14 days before you’re eligible to take the skills test.¹ While driving on the CLP, a CDL holder with a Class B or higher license must ride along.

The Skills Test

The skills test has three parts: vehicle inspection, basic control maneuvers, and on-road driving.⁹ Skills tests can be scheduled through the NCDMV or at an authorized third-party site. Bring your CLP, valid identification, and Medical Examiner’s Certificate on test day.

The inspection is where most people who fail get tripped up. The examiner asks you to walk around the vehicle and explain what you’re checking and why. Run through it out loud until it’s automatic. The basic control section tests maneuvers like straight-line backing, offset backing, and docking. The on-road portion evaluates turns, lane changes, merging, and how you manage speed and space in real traffic. Each section is scored separately, and you need to pass all three.⁸

Whatever vehicle you bring must be at least 26,001 pounds GVWR, properly maintained, and display its GVWR where the examiner can see it. Pay attention to transmission type. If you test in a truck with an automatic, your CDL will carry a restriction that prohibits you from driving any vehicle with a manual transmission.¹⁰ Removing that restriction later means retaking the skills test in a manual truck.

If you fail a portion, expect a waiting period before you can retest, plus additional fees for each attempt. Ask the examiner or NCDMV office for the specific timeline when you schedule.

What It Costs

North Carolina’s 2024 fee schedule sets the direct licensing costs:¹¹

Commercial Learner’s Permit: $25.50
CDL application: $51.50
Class B CDL: $25.50 per year

Add the DOT physical, ELDT tuition, and any endorsement costs. Total out-of-pocket spending before you hold the license ranges from a few hundred dollars, if an employer covers training, to well over $10,000 if you pay your own way.

After passing all tests, you’ll finish the paperwork at an NCDMV office, where staff take your photograph and signature. You may receive a temporary license on the spot, with the permanent card mailed to your address.

Endorsements to Consider

Endorsements expand what you can do with a Class B CDL. Each requires an additional knowledge test, and some require a skills test in the right vehicle.¹² The Passenger (P) endorsement covers vehicles like city buses and requires a written test plus a skills test in a passenger vehicle. The School Bus (S) endorsement requires a written test, a skills test in a school bus, and the Passenger endorsement first. The Tank Vehicle (N) endorsement is a written test only. The Hazardous Materials (H) endorsement requires a written test plus a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprinting and background check; the current TSA fee is $85.25, and processing can take over 45 days.¹³

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Check

Since November 18, 2024, the NCDMV must query the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse before issuing or renewing a CDL. If a driver has a “prohibited” status from an unresolved violation, the state must deny the CDL or downgrade an existing one.¹⁴

You aren’t technically required to register with the Clearinghouse just to get a CDL, but you’ll need an account almost immediately. Any employer running a pre-employment background check must conduct a full query of your Clearinghouse record, and you have to log in and give electronic consent before that query goes through.¹⁵ Register at clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov before you start applying for jobs.

1
Official NCDMV. Commercial Driver Licenses
2
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical Examiners Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876
3
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For How Long Is My Medical Certificate Valid?
4
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of CMV Operation I Should Self-Certify To?
5
Official NCDMV. Medical Certification Requirements
6
Training Provider Registry (TPR). ELDT Entry-Level Driver Training Minimum Federal Curricula Requirements
7
FMCSA Portal – Department of Transportation. Find a Provider – Training Provider Registry
8
North Carolina Department of Transportation. Get a Commercial Driver License Checklist
9
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Commercial Driver License Manual – 2005 CDL Testing System
10
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.95 – Restrictions
11
NCDOT. 2024 DMV Quadrennial Fee Adjustment 20-4.02
12
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-37.16 – Commercial Drivers Licenses
13
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
14
FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Clearinghouse II and CDL Downgrades: State Compliance Begins
15
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Are CDL Drivers Required to Register for the Clearinghouse?