What Does It Take to Get a CDL in Texas: Steps, Costs, and Endorsements

To get a CDL in Texas, you pick the license class that matches the vehicle you plan to drive, pass a DOT physical, complete Entry-Level Driver Training through an FMCSA-registered provider, pass the written knowledge tests to receive a Commercial Learner’s Permit, wait at least 14 days, and then pass a three-part skills test. State fees come to roughly $122 for a standard Class A or B license. Plan on several weeks of training before you’re ready to test.

Step 1: Pick Your CDL Class

Federal rules sort commercial vehicles into three classes, and Texas uses the same framework.¹

Class A covers combination vehicles rated above 26,000 pounds where the trailer alone is over 10,000 pounds. Most tractor-trailers fall here.
Class B covers single vehicles above 26,000 pounds, or those towing a trailer of 10,000 pounds or less. Dump trucks, city buses, and large straight trucks are typical.
Class C covers lighter vehicles that either carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or haul placarded hazardous materials.

A Class A license also lets you drive Class B and C vehicles; Class B covers Class C but not Class A. Many drivers go straight for Class A even when their first job doesn’t require it, because it keeps future options open.

Step 2: Confirm You’re Eligible

Texas lets you drive commercial vehicles within the state at 18. To cross state lines or haul hazardous materials, you must be at least 21.² You also need to be domiciled in Texas, which you prove with two documents showing a Texas residential address.³ The usual 30-day Texas residency waiting period is waived for CDL applications, so new arrivals from other states can apply without that delay.⁴

Your driving history can shut the door before you start. A first-offense DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, or committing a felony with a commercial vehicle triggers at least a one-year disqualification, and a second offense is a lifetime ban. If hazardous materials were involved, the first-offense disqualification is three years. Two serious traffic violations within three years (excessive speeding, reckless driving, following too closely) earn a 60-day disqualification; three within three years means 120 days. Using any motor vehicle to commit a felony is a lifetime disqualification with no reinstatement.⁵

Step 3: Pass the DOT Physical

You need a Department of Transportation physical from a medical examiner on the FMCSA National Registry. The Medical Examiner’s Certificate (the “DOT medical card”) is valid for up to 24 months, though the examiner can issue a shorter one if a condition needs monitoring.⁶

Vision has to be at least 20/40 in each eye (glasses and contacts count), and you must be able to distinguish red, green, and amber traffic signals. Hearing is checked by forced whisper at five feet or by audiometer, and hearing aids are allowed.⁷ Blood pressure catches many applicants off guard. A reading under 140/90 earns the full two-year certification. A reading between 140/90 and 159/99 earns one year. Between 160/109 and 179/109, the examiner can issue a one-time three-month certificate, and you need to get below 140/90 within that window to move to a one-year certification. Above 180/110 disqualifies you until it comes down. Blood pressure medication is permitted throughout.⁸

You’ll also tell DPS which category of commercial driving you intend to do. Most CDL holders fall into the “interstate non-excepted” category and must keep a current medical card on file; driving in a category other than the one you certified can suspend your commercial privileges.⁹

Step 4: Complete Entry-Level Driver Training

Since February 7, 2022, anyone pursuing a first-time Class A or Class B CDL, upgrading from Class B to Class A, or adding a passenger, school bus, or hazmat endorsement for the first time must finish Entry-Level Driver Training through an FMCSA-registered provider before testing.¹⁰ If you already held the CDL or endorsement before that date, you’re grandfathered in for that credential.

Training has two parts: theory instruction and behind-the-wheel training on both a closed course and public roads. Federal rules don’t set minimum hours. Providers must cover every topic in the required curriculum, and you must demonstrate proficiency before they can certify completion.¹¹ Most Class A programs run several weeks.

After you finish, your provider has two business days to submit your certification to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Texas DPS checks the registry before letting you take the skills test, so confirm the paperwork is in. You can verify it yourself through the “Check Your Record” feature on the registry site.¹²

Step 5: Gather Your Documents

Missing a document means another trip to DPS. Bring:

Proof of identity: an unexpired U.S. passport, current Texas driver’s license, birth certificate, U.S. military photo ID, or certain immigration documents. Originals or agency-certified copies only.
Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence: a passport or birth certificate works for citizens; non-citizens need documents such as a Permanent Resident card, Employment Authorization card, or valid visa with I-94.
Your Social Security number. Texas will not issue a CDL without one.
Two printed documents showing your Texas residential address, such as utility bills, a lease, or bank statements.
Your medical self-certification form and, if your category requires it, your Medical Examiner’s Certificate.

DPS Form DL-69 is the full checklist and is worth printing before your visit.¹³

Step 6: Get Your Commercial Learner’s Permit

At the DPS office you submit your documents, pay a $25 fee, and take the written knowledge tests.¹⁴ Almost everyone takes the general knowledge test. If your vehicle has air brakes, add the air brakes test. Class A applicants take a combination vehicles test. Endorsement-specific tests (hazmat, tanker, passenger, and so on) get added if you’re going after those at the same time.¹⁵

Pass the knowledge tests and DPS issues your CLP. You can then drive a commercial vehicle on public roads, but only with a fully licensed CDL holder in the passenger seat. State law bars you from taking the skills test before the 15th day after the permit is issued, so day 15 is your earliest test date.¹⁶

Step 7: Pass the Skills Test

You bring a properly equipped commercial vehicle to the exam. The test has three parts:

Pre-trip inspection, where you walk around the vehicle and explain its components and their condition to the examiner.
Basic vehicle controls on a closed course, including straight-line backing, offset backing, and parallel parking. The precision standards are tight.
A road test on public roads covering turns, lane changes, speed management, and overall safety.

Texas authorizes certified third-party companies to administer the skills test alongside DPS examiners.¹⁷ Many CDL schools are certified testers, so you can often test on the same course where you practiced. Third-party examiners set their own fees on top of the state’s $97 CDL issuance fee.¹⁴

If you’re an active-duty service member or recently separated veteran with at least two years operating heavy military vehicles, the Military Skills Test Waiver Program can let you skip the skills test entirely. Your commanding officer must endorse your safe driving record, and certain violations disqualify you from the waiver.¹⁸

Adding Endorsements

A base CDL covers the vehicles in your class, but specialized cargo or passengers require endorsements. Each takes an extra knowledge test, and some take more:

H (Hazardous Materials): knowledge test plus a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprinting. Texas processes hazmat applications through DPS rather than TSA application centers. The TSA fee is $85.25, or $41 if you already hold a valid TWIC card, and TSA recommends applying at least 60 days before you need the endorsement.¹⁹
N (Tank Vehicles): knowledge test on the handling of liquid cargo, including surge and rollover risk.
P (Passenger): knowledge test and a skills test in a passenger vehicle. ELDT required for first-time applicants after February 7, 2022.
S (School Bus): knowledge test and a skills test in a school bus. Also subject to ELDT.
T (Double/Triple Trailers): knowledge test only.
X: a combined hazmat and tanker endorsement.

What It Costs

State fees are set. The Commercial Learner’s Permit is $25. The CDL itself is $97 for applicants 18 through 84, and $26 for those 85 and older. If you’re adding a hazmat endorsement, the CDL fee is $61 instead of $97, with the separate $85.25 TSA fee on top.¹⁴

Those are just the government fees. The larger expense is training. CDL school programs vary widely in cost depending on class, duration, and whether job placement is included. Budget separately for the DOT physical and any third-party skills test fees, which the state does not set.

After You’re Licensed: The Clearinghouse

Once you hold a CDL, you’re in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a federal database that tracks violations from DOT-required drug and alcohol testing. Every employer must query the Clearinghouse before hiring you and at least once a year afterward.²⁰ You’re not technically required to register as an individual driver, but you’ll need an account to give electronic consent for pre-employment queries and to view your own record.²¹

As of November 2024, state licensing agencies must downgrade the CDL of any driver in “prohibited” status in the Clearinghouse. A failed drug or alcohol test can now cost you your commercial driving privileges on the license itself until you complete the return-to-duty process.²⁰

1
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CMV Groups (383.91)
2
Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 16.5 – Qualifications to Drive in Intrastate Commerce
3
Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 16.7 – Proof of Domicile
4
Department of Public Safety. Texas Residency Requirement for Driver Licenses and ID Cards
5
Department of Public Safety. Commercial Driver License (CDL) Disqualifications
6
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. DOT Medical Exam and Commercial Motor Vehicle Certification
7
eCFR. 49 CFR 391.41 – Physical Qualifications for Drivers
8
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Section 391.41(b)(6) Driver Safety and Health Medical Requirements
9
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical
10
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
11
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 380 – Special Training Requirements
12
Training Provider Registry. Training Provider Registry
13
Department of Public Safety. What to Bring When Applying for a Texas Commercial Driver License
14
Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees
15
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Get a Commercial Drivers License
16
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 522-014 – Permit
17
Department of Public Safety. CDL Third Party Skills Testing Program
18
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Military Skills Test Waiver Program
19
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
20
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. About the Clearinghouse
21
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Are CDL Drivers Required to Register for the Clearinghouse?