CDL Requirements in Arizona
Verified against Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division ·
Compiled and verified against each state's own licensing agency and statutes 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. Veterans and current service members with military driving experience may qualify for a skills-test waiver — see military & veteran CDL pathways.
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.
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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