How to Get a CDL in the US: An 8-Week Roadmap From Medical Card to Skills Test

8 min read ยท 2026-10-15

How to get a CDL in the US comes down to six steps, done in this order: choose your license class, pass a DOT physical, complete the theory part of Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) with a registered provider, pass the knowledge tests to get your commercial learner's permit (CLP), finish the behind-the-wheel part of ELDT while you hold your CLP for at least 14 days, then pass the three-part skills test. If you train full time, 8 weeks is a realistic plan from the first decision to having the license in your hand, depending on the test appointments available in your state.

The order matters because each step unlocks the next one. You can't take the skills test without a CLP. You can't get a CLP without a medical card. The skills test is also blocked until your ELDT completion shows up in the federal registry. The roadmap below follows that chain, so you never sit waiting on a missing piece.

The roadmap at a glance

Goal: Hold a valid commercial driver's license in the class you need, with the endorsements your first job asks for. Duration: 8 weeks, training full time, depending on the test appointments available in your state

  1. Choose Your Class and Training Path (Week 1)

    Know exactly which license you are going for before you spend time or money.

    • Pick your class: Class A for tractor-trailers, Class B for straight trucks and buses, Class C for smaller hazmat or passenger vehicles.
    • Decide if you'll drive interstate (across state lines, age 21 and up) or intrastate only (age 18 and up in most states).
    • Download your state's CDL manual from the DMV website and read the general knowledge section.
    • Shortlist two or three training providers listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.
    • Ask each provider about schedule, truck type (manual or automatic) and whether they run the skills test on site.

    Milestone: One training provider chosen and a start date confirmed in writing.

  2. Medical Card and Documents (Weeks 1 to 2)

    Clear the paperwork early, because a missing document can stop you at the DMV counter.

    • Book a DOT physical with a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry.
    • Bring a list of your medications and any doctor notes on vision, hearing, blood pressure or diabetes.
    • Gather proof of identity, Social Security number and state residency as your DMV lists them.
    • Decide your self-certification type (interstate or intrastate, excepted or non-excepted).

    Milestone: Medical examiner's certificate in hand and every DMV document in one folder.

  3. ELDT Theory and Knowledge Tests (Weeks 2 to 3)

    Learn the rules and pass the written tests that turn into your learner's permit.

    • Complete the ELDT theory course with your registered provider and pass its final assessment.
    • Study the general knowledge, air brakes and, for Class A, combination vehicles sections of the manual.
    • Take practice tests until you pass each section comfortably on the first try.
    • Visit the DMV to take the knowledge tests, plus any endorsement tests you need now.

    Milestone: CLP issued. Write down the date, because your 14-day clock starts here.

  4. ELDT Behind-the-Wheel Training (Weeks 4 to 6)

    Build real driving skill on the range and on public roads with a qualified trainer.

    • Practice the backing maneuvers your state tests, such as straight line, offset and alley dock.
    • Drive public roads daily: turns, lane changes, railroad crossings, grades and highway merges.
    • Learn the pre-trip inspection one section at a time: engine compartment, cab, coupling, trailer.
    • Say every inspection item out loud, the way you'll have to do it on test day.

    Milestone: Your provider submits your ELDT completion to the Training Provider Registry.

  5. Skills Test Rehearsal (Week 7)

    Turn training into test-day habits, with no surprises left.

    • Run a full pre-trip inspection from memory, timed, with your trainer marking each missed item.
    • Do mock basic control runs and count your pull-ups and encroachments.
    • Drive the likely test route, or a similar one, at least twice.
    • Confirm your skills test appointment and the truck you'll test in.

    Milestone: One complete mock test passed, start to finish, without help.

  6. Skills Test and License (Week 8)

    Pass all three parts and walk out with your CDL.

    • Arrive early with your CLP, medical card and ID.
    • Pass the vehicle inspection, then basic control, then the road test.
    • Return to the DMV if your state requires it to issue the license and pay any fees.
    • Check your new license for restriction codes before you leave the counter.

    Milestone: CDL issued in your chosen class.

Which CDL Class Do You Need?

Your class depends on the vehicle you'll drive, not on the job title. Look at the weight rating, whether you'll tow a trailer, and how many passengers you'll carry. If a job posting says "Class A required", a Class B won't do, so read the postings in your area before you choose.

A Class A license also lets you drive most Class B and C vehicles, as long as you hold the right endorsements. That is why many new drivers go straight for Class A, even if their first job is local.

  • Class A: a combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit is over 10,000 pounds. Tractor-trailers, most long-haul and regional freight.
  • Class B: a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more, or one towing 10,000 pounds or less. Box trucks, dump trucks, city buses, many delivery routes.
  • Class C: smaller vehicles that carry 16 or more people including the driver, or placarded hazardous materials.

What ELDT Means and When It Applies

Entry-Level Driver Training is a federal rule. You must complete it with a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before you can take certain tests. It applies if you are getting a Class A or Class B for the first time, upgrading from Class B to Class A, or adding a passenger (P), school bus (S) or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.

ELDT has two parts. Theory covers rules, safe operation, vehicle systems and non-driving tasks such as hours of service. Behind-the-wheel covers the range and public roads. Your provider reports your completion to the registry, and the state checks that record before it lets you take the skills test. For the H endorsement, theory must be done before the hazmat knowledge test.

How the CDL Skills Test Works

The skills test has three parts, and in most states you must pass each one before moving to the next. Fail the first part and the test usually ends there, so the pre-trip inspection deserves the most practice.

The truck you test in shapes your license. Testing in an automatic usually adds an E restriction, which means no manual transmission. Testing in a vehicle without full air brakes adds an air brake restriction. If you think you'll want a manual or air brakes later, test in that type of truck now.

  • Vehicle inspection (pre-trip): you walk around the truck, point to or touch each part, and explain what you are checking and why. Air brake checks are part of it.
  • Basic control skills: backing and maneuvering exercises inside a marked area. Examiners count pull-ups, encroachments over the lines, and get-outs to look.
  • Road test: a drive on public roads with turns, intersections, lane changes, a railroad crossing and other situations the examiner asks for.

Company-Sponsored Training or Paying for School?

There are three common paths. Company-sponsored programs train you and often cover the cost, in exchange for driving for that company for a set period. Private CDL schools charge tuition but leave you free to apply anywhere. Community colleges often run longer programs that may fit around a job.

The cheapest path upfront can cost more later if the contract terms are strict, so compare the full picture, not only the starting price. Before you sign anything, ask each option the same questions and get the answers in writing.

  • Is the provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry?
  • How many hours of behind-the-wheel time do I actually get, and in what truck?
  • Do you test on site, or do I need to book with the state?
  • For sponsored programs: how long is the work commitment, and what do I owe if I leave early?
  • Do you help with job placement after the license?

Endorsements Worth Planning Early

Endorsements are extra tests added to your license. Adding them during your CLP stage saves extra trips to the DMV, because you can take several knowledge tests the same day.

Pick only what your target jobs ask for. Each one adds study time, and some, like P and S, add a separate skills test.

  • H (hazardous materials): needs a TSA background check with fingerprints. Start this early, as it is often the slowest step.
  • N (tank vehicle): liquid or gas in bulk tanks.
  • T (double and triple trailers): knowledge test only.
  • X (tank plus hazmat): combines N and H.
  • P (passenger) and S (school bus): need their own skills test and ELDT.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Booking the skills test before your ELDT completion is in the registry, so wait for your provider's confirmation before you schedule.
  • Learning the pre-trip inspection only in the final week, when it should be practiced a little every day from week 4.
  • Testing in an automatic without knowing it limits you, so ask about the E restriction before you pick your test truck.
  • Signing a sponsored training contract without reading the early-exit terms, so ask for the contract in advance and read it at home.
  • Letting your CLP or medical card expire mid-plan, so put both expiry dates in your calendar on the day you receive them.
  • Waiting on the hazmat background check until after the license, so start the TSA application during your CLP stage.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a CDL?

With full-time training, many people finish in about 8 weeks, which is the pace of this roadmap. Part-time and evening programs take longer. The fixed floor is the 14 days you must hold your CLP before the skills test. Test appointment availability in your state can add time, so book early.

Can you get a CDL at 18?

In most states you can get a CDL at 18 for intrastate driving, meaning you stay inside your home state. Federal rules require age 21 to drive commercial vehicles across state lines or to carry hazardous materials. Check your state DMV for its exact rules.

Do I need ELDT for a Class C CDL?

Not for a basic Class C on its own. You do need ELDT if you add a passenger, school bus or hazmat endorsement for the first time. ELDT is always required for a first-time Class A or Class B, and for an upgrade from B to A.

What happens if I fail the CDL skills test?

Most states let you retest, though waiting periods, retest fees and the number of tries allowed vary by state. In many states you only redo the part you failed and the parts after it. Ask your trainer to focus your extra practice on the exact items the examiner marked.

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