How to Get a Commercial Driver’s License in CT

To get a Commercial Driver’s License in CT, you pass a DOT physical, apply for a Commercial Learner’s Permit at the DMV after passing the written knowledge tests, complete federally required Entry-Level Driver Training, wait at least 14 days from your permit’s issue date, and then pass a three-part skills test. Plan on several weeks minimum and roughly $200 to $300 in state fees, plus the medical exam and training tuition, which is the largest expense by far.

Who Qualifies

You need to be at least 18 to apply. Drivers 18 to 20 are limited to routes that stay inside Connecticut. Interstate driving and hauling hazardous materials both require you to be 21.¹

You also need a valid Connecticut driver’s license and two documents from different sources proving Connecticut residency, such as a bank statement and a utility bill. A P.O. box will not work.² Your driving privileges cannot be suspended, revoked, or disqualified in any state.

When you apply, you self-certify what kind of driving you will do. Non-excepted interstate (NI) means you cross state lines at any point, even a fuel stop over the border, and requires you to be 21 with a current medical certificate. Non-excepted intrastate (NA) means you stay in Connecticut, which applies if you are under 21, hold a medical waiver, or choose an intrastate-only restriction. Your choice stays on your record and has to be updated with the DMV if your driving scope changes.³

Pick Your Class and Endorsements First

Your CDL class controls which tests you take and which vehicles you can drive, so decide before you study.

Class A: Combination vehicles rated 26,001 pounds or more where the towed trailer weighs over 10,000 pounds. Tractor-trailers are the typical example.
Class B: Single vehicles rated 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing a trailer of 10,000 pounds or less. Straight trucks, dump trucks, and large buses fall here.
Class C: Vehicles that fall under the Class A and B weight thresholds but are designed to carry 16 or more people (including the driver) or are placarded for hazardous materials.

A Class A license lets you drive Class B and C vehicles. A Class B covers Class C.⁴

Endorsements are add-ons for specific cargo or vehicles. Each requires its own knowledge test.

H (Hazardous Materials): Required for placarded loads. Also requires a TSA background check.
P (Passenger): Required for vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers.
N (Tank Vehicle): Required for tank vehicles.
S (School Bus): Required for school bus operation. You also need the P endorsement.
T (Double/Triple Trailers): Required for pulling doubles or triples.

Get Your DOT Physical

Every applicant needs a medical exam from a provider on the FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. The exam covers vision, hearing, blood pressure, and general fitness to operate a commercial vehicle. Cost typically runs $79 to $225 depending on the provider. Your examiner issues a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (Form MCSA-5876) if you pass.

As of June 16, 2025, the Connecticut DMV no longer accepts paper medical certificates for CDL and CLP holders. Your examiner uploads results through the National Registry electronically and the DMV receives them automatically. You do not need to bring anything to the DMV yourself.⁵ Most certificates are valid up to two years, and some conditions shorten that.

Keep the certificate current once you have a CDL. If it lapses and you do not update within 60 days, your CDL is automatically downgraded to a regular license. Operating a commercial vehicle with an expired medical card is a federal violation carrying driver fines over $2,800.⁶

Study and Take the CLP Knowledge Tests

The Connecticut Commercial Driver License Manual (Form R-295) is the primary study resource. It covers vehicle classifications, endorsements, air brakes, state driving law, and test procedures. The DMV publishes it on their website.

CLP knowledge tests are taken in person at a Connecticut DMV office by appointment.¹ Bring your valid Connecticut driver’s license, proof of identity, your Social Security number, proof of legal presence in the United States, and two forms of Connecticut address verification. Your medical certificate is already on file electronically.

Everyone takes a general knowledge exam. Class A applicants also take a combination vehicles test. Air brakes is required unless you accept a restriction limiting you to vehicles without them. Each endorsement carries its own written test. Pass all applicable tests and the DMV issues your permit.

Fees at this stage:

General knowledge test: $16 (waived for school bus drivers with a letter of employment from a school bus company)
Each endorsement test: $5
CLP issuance: $20 (also waived for employed school bus drivers)

These come from the Connecticut DMV fee schedule.⁷

What Your CLP Lets You Do

The permit lets you practice on public roads with real limits. A licensed CDL holder with the correct class and endorsements for the vehicle must sit in the front passenger seat and supervise you. For passenger vehicles, the supervisor can sit directly behind the driver instead.⁸

You cannot carry passengers other than your supervisor, examiners, and other trainees. You cannot transport hazardous materials. If you hold a tank (N) endorsement on the CLP, you can only drive an empty tank purged of residue.

And you must wait at least 14 days from the CLP’s initial issue date before taking the CDL skills test.⁸

Complete Entry-Level Driver Training

Federal law requires Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) before you take the skills test if you are getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, or adding a P, S, or H endorsement for the first time. This has been in effect since February 7, 2022.¹

Training has two parts. Theory instruction covers vehicle operation, safety, hazard perception, vehicle systems, and non-driving duties like hours-of-service rules and cargo handling. You must score at least 80 percent on the theory assessment. Behind-the-wheel training covers range exercises (backing, parking, coupling and uncoupling) and public-road driving. There are no federally mandated minimum hours; your instructor evaluates proficiency across all required skills and documents the hours spent. Behind-the-wheel work must be done in an actual vehicle, not a simulator.⁹

Your provider must be listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, searchable at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. Connecticut also requires CDL training organizations to be authorized by the Office of Higher Education, unless an employer is training its own employees.¹ The provider reports your completion to the registry, and the DMV verifies it before letting you test.

Class A programs commonly cost several thousand dollars. This is where most of your money goes, so compare schools and ask whether your employer sponsors training or reimburses tuition.

Pass the CDL Skills Test

Once you have held the CLP for at least 14 days and finished ELDT, book the skills test by completing Form R-405 (Request for CDL Exam from a Private Citizen) and emailing it to dmv-detu@ct.gov. The DMV responds with a test date within three business days.¹⁰

The test has three parts:

Pre-trip inspection: walk around the vehicle and identify components, confirming they are in safe working order. Examiners look for a systematic approach.
Basic vehicle control: straight-line backing, offset backing, alley docking, and similar maneuvers in a controlled area. Cones and pull-ups cost points.
On-road driving: real traffic, with the examiner scoring turns, lane changes, speed management, and general safe driving.

Bring:

A vehicle representing the CDL class you are testing for
A CDL-licensed driver to drive the test vehicle to and from the site
Your valid Connecticut driver’s license and CLP
The validated gold copy of Form R-229a (your CDL application) showing the $30 skills test fee has been paid

The skills test fee is $30, waived for employed school bus drivers.⁷ You supply the test vehicle. Many training schools rent theirs to students on test day, sometimes for an added fee. Renting a Class A or Class B vehicle independently can run $100 to $675, so ask your school first.

Getting the License

After you pass all three parts, results are processed within about two business days. You return to the DMV office where you took your knowledge tests to pick up the license. New CDL issuance is $70.¹

A Connecticut CDL is valid for four years and expires on your birthday. Renewal is $70 for another four-year term.¹¹

If You Want the Hazmat Endorsement

Passing the H knowledge test is only part of it. You also need to clear a Transportation Security Administration security threat assessment, a federal requirement with a fingerprint-based criminal background check. Start early: TSA recommends beginning at least 60 days before you need the endorsement because some background checks take over 45 days.¹²

The steps:

Pre-enroll online through the TSA’s application system.
Visit an application center to submit fingerprints and identity documents (a valid U.S. passport, or driver’s license plus birth certificate). Appointments are recommended; walk-ins are accepted.
Pay the fee. It is $85.25 for new and renewing applicants. Holders of a valid TWIC card, in states that accept the TWIC assessment in place of a separate hazmat assessment, pay a reduced $41.00.¹²

Some convictions permanently disqualify you: espionage, treason, terrorism offenses, murder, and crimes involving explosives or transportation security incidents. A second group, including arson, robbery, firearms violations, and drug trafficking, disqualify you if the conviction occurred within seven years of your application or you were released from incarceration within five years.¹³

What the Whole Process Costs

DOT physical: $79 to $225, varies by provider
General knowledge test: $16
Endorsement tests: $5 each
CLP issuance: $20
ELDT training: varies widely; Class A programs commonly cost several thousand dollars
Skills test fee: $30
CDL issuance: $70
TSA threat assessment (hazmat only): $85.25

Employed school bus drivers with a letter of employment get the knowledge test, CLP, and skills test fees waived.⁷ Training tuition is the biggest line item for almost everyone, which is why comparing schools and checking for employer sponsorship pays off before you sign up.

1
CT.gov. Get a Commercial Driver’s License
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CT.gov. Transfer a CDL from Another State
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CT.gov. Self-Certification for CDL
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Justia. Connecticut Code 14-44d – Commercial Drivers License Classifications
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. CDL Medical Changes 2025
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Getting Medical Certification for Commercial and Public Service Drivers
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CT.gov. DMV Fees
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eCFR. 49 CFR 383.25 – Commercial Learners Permit
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FMCSA. ELDT Entry-Level Driver Training Minimum Federal Curricula Requirements
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Take the CDL Skills Test
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Justia. Connecticut Code 14-44h – Expiration and Renewal of Commercial Drivers Licenses
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Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
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Transportation Security Administration. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors