CDL Requirements in Arizona
Verified against Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetCDLLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Arizona ADOT MVD restricts CDL knowledge testing to its own MVD offices (7:30am-3:00pm) but relies heavily on Authorized Third Party (ATP) providers — certified public and private organizations — to administer the CDL road/skills test statewide, with a subset of offices transitioned to a newer 'Modernized CDL Skills Test.' Unlike the federal self-certification framework's four categories, Arizona's own CDL manual states that marking either 'excepted' self-certification status (interstate or intrastate) means the applicant 'will NOT be issued an Arizona CDL,' and consistent with that, the live CDL application offers only two self-certification checkboxes. Almost every CDL fee in Arizona is split by license class (A/B vs. C) rather than issued as one flat amount, and the CDL's 8-year renewal cycle runs independently of the separately-renewed TSA hazmat Security Threat Assessment.
Arizona's CDL requirements — including an intrastate minimum age of 18 — are verified against Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (see Arizona MVD — Getting Your Commercial Driver License (CDL)), current as of 2026-07-25.
Arizona CDL Requirements at a Glance
This is the fee, age, and testing detail for Arizonaspecifically — for the full step-by-step process see how to get a CDL, and for what Class A, B, and C each permit see CDL classes.
| Commercial learner’s permit (CLP) | |
|---|---|
| CLP fee | — |
| Minimum holding period before skills test | 14 days |
| CLP validity | 12 months |
| Age minimums | |
| Intrastate minimum age | 18 |
| Interstate minimum age | 21 (federal floor) |
| Fees | |
| Application fee | — |
| Initial CDL fee | — |
| Renewal fee | — |
| Renewal period | 8 years |
| Knowledge test fee | — |
| Skills test fee | — |
| Testing rules | |
| Third-party testers allowed | Yes |
| Retest waiting period | — |
Other published fees
- Initial CDL, Class A or B (new or transfer from another state): $25
- Initial CDL, Class C (must include Passenger endorsement or Hazmat): $12.50
- CDL renewal, Class A or B (standard credential): $15
- CDL renewal, Class A or B (Travel ID / REAL ID compliant): $25
- CDL renewal, Class C (standard credential): $10
- CDL renewal, Class C (Travel ID / REAL ID compliant): $25
- Skills/road test, Class A or B vehicle: $25
- Skills/road test, Class C vehicle: $12.50
- Passenger/school bus skills test, existing CDL holder adding endorsement: $5
- Hazmat (HME) renewal, includes required knowledge test: $10
- Duplicate CDL: $12
- Duplicate CLP: $2
- Uncertified CDL Motor Vehicle Record: $3
- Extended/certified CDL Motor Vehicle Record (medical and Hazmat info): $5
- Returned check fee: $25
CLP fee is class-based, not a single flat amount: $25.00 for a Class A or B permit with no endorsements, $12.50 for a Class C permit (which must include a Passenger endorsement; Hazmat is not allowed on a Class C permit). Minimum age for a CLP is 21; applicants at least 18 may obtain an intrastate-only CLP valid solely within Arizona, and drivers under 21 may not transport placarded hazardous materials. Duplicate permit costs $2.00.
Confirmed on ADOT MVD's own 'Getting Your CDL' page and CDL Manual: the general minimum CDL age is 18, but applicants under 21 may only obtain an intrastate-only CDL/CLP valid solely within Arizona and are barred from transporting placarded hazardous materials until age 21.
Knowledge tests are administered only at MVD offices (7:30am-3:00pm) and require a minimum score of 80% to pass; a failed knowledge test may be retaken 'the next business day' (no fixed day-count is published, and no cap on attempts is stated). Skills/road tests, by contrast, are administered both at MVD's own CDL offices and by a large network of MVD-certified Authorized Third Party (ATP) testers at public and private organizations statewide. ATP companies must employ at least one certified examiner, pass a fingerprint-based state/federal background check, and complete a three-part CDL Examiner Training course before certification.
Arizona CDL Endorsements
| Endorsement | Available | Fee | Knowledge test | Skills test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazardous materials (H) | Yes | $10 | Yes | No |
| Tank vehicle (N) | Yes | $10 | Yes | No |
| Doubles/triples (T) | Yes | $10 | Yes | No |
| Passenger (P) | Yes | $10 | Yes | Yes |
| School bus (S) | Yes | $0 | Yes | Yes |
Hazardous materials: $10 MVD endorsement fee (separate from the federal TSA background-check fee). Not allowed on a CLP; MVD may issue a CDL without the HME while a TSA application is pending, then add the HME once TSA approval is received. The endorsement runs on an independent renewal cycle from the 8-year CDL, and MVD notifies holders 60 days before the endorsement itself (not the license) expires.
Tank vehicle: Tank Vehicles endorsement (code N) required to haul liquid or gaseous material in a tank with an individual rated capacity over 119 gallons and an aggregate rated capacity of 1,000+ gallons, per the CDL Manual. $10 MVD endorsement fee; tested via a dedicated knowledge exam only, no separate skills test.
Doubles/triples: Doubles/Triples Trailers endorsement (code T). $10 MVD endorsement fee; tested via a dedicated knowledge exam only, no separate skills test.
Passenger: $10 MVD endorsement fee. New applicants must take the CDL skills test in an actual bus; testing in a vehicle under 26,001 lbs GVWR results in a restriction against operating larger passenger vehicles. Existing CDL holders adding the endorsement must first obtain a CLP carrying the endorsement and pass a $5 skills test, versus $25 for new applicants.
School bus: No separate MVD endorsement fee (published as 'No fee'). Must be held together with the Passenger endorsement to operate a school bus. New applicants must test in an actual school bus; testing under 26,001 lbs GVWR results in a restriction. Existing CDL holders adding the endorsement pay a $5 skills test fee versus $25 for new applicants.
For what each endorsement permits, the federal knowledge/skills testing baseline behind it, and hazmat’s separate TSA security threat assessment, see CDL endorsements.
Federal requirements that apply in Arizona
These are set by federal regulators and are the same in every US jurisdiction. Full detail here.
- Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT). Since February 2022, first-time CDL applicants — and drivers upgrading to Class A or seeking a first-time school bus, passenger, or hazmat endorsement — must complete Entry-Level Driver Training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before testing.
- DOT medical certificate. Most CDL holders who operate in interstate commerce must hold a valid DOT medical examiner's certificate, issued by an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
- Interstate minimum age. Federal rules set 21 as the minimum age to drive commercially across state lines; states set their own intrastate minimum, commonly 18.
- Hazmat security threat assessment. A hazardous materials endorsement additionally requires a TSA security threat assessment, which is a federal process separate from the state endorsement.
Self-certification in Arizona
Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division administers self-certification for the following FMCSA operating categories:
- Non-Excepted Interstate
- Non-Excepted Intrastate
Arizona's CDL Manual (Section 1.2) walks applicants through all four FMCSA self-certification categories conceptually, but states explicitly that marking either excepted category — 'Interstate excepted' or 'Intrastate excepted' — means 'you will NOT be issued an Arizona CDL.' Consistent with that, the live CDL application (Form 40-5122) presents only two self-certification checkboxes: Non-Excepted Interstate and Non-Excepted Intrastate.
Source Notes
Where a source is stale, conflicting, or required a judgment call, we document it here rather than presenting a single confident-sounding number. See our methodology for how these calls are made.
- Arizona's own CDL Manual states that marking either 'excepted' self-certification status (Interstate or Intrastate) means the applicant 'will NOT be issued an Arizona CDL.' Consistent with that, Arizona's live CDL application offers only two of the federal self-certification framework's four categories: Non-Excepted Interstate and Non-Excepted Intrastate.
- Arizona's CDL (up to an 8-year cycle) and its TSA hazmat Security Threat Assessment renew on independent schedules with different expiration dates — renewing one does not renew the other, and ADOT notifies Hazmat endorsement holders separately, 60 days before the endorsement (not the license) expires.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- Arizona MVD — Getting Your Commercial Driver License (CDL)
- Arizona MVD — Managing Your Commercial Driver License (CDL)
- Arizona MVD — Commercial Driver License Manual (Form 40-7802)
- Arizona MVD — Travel License/Identification Application, CDL Applicant self-certification section (Form 40-5122)
- Arizona MVD — CDL Examination Program (Authorized Third Party testing)
- Arizona MVD — Commercial Driver License (CDL) program overview
- Arizona MVD — CDL Regulation, Endorsement, and Exemption Definitions
- Arizona MVD — Contact MVD (phone)
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division