CDL Requirements in Delaware
Verified against Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetCDLLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Delaware DMV (under the Department of Transportation) issues CDLs on an 8-year cycle, shortened to 5 years when a Hazmat endorsement is carried. The state rolled out a modernized CDL skills test statewide on February 26, 2025, and is separately standing up a Third-Party CDL Testing program under Delaware Administrative Code Regulation 2226 that, as of this writing, was still processing organization applications rather than fully operating. Delaware also runs its own Non-CDL waiver license for farmers and firefighters and layers Delaware Department of Education training/medical requirements on top of the federal CDL framework for school bus drivers.
Delaware's CDL requirements — including a $5 commercial learner permit fee and an intrastate minimum age of 18 — are verified against Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation (see Delaware DMV — Commercial Driver's License (CDL) program page), current as of 2026-07-25.
Delaware CDL Requirements at a Glance
This is the fee, age, and testing detail for Delawarespecifically — 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 | $5 |
| 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 | $55 |
| Renewal fee | $55 |
| Renewal period | 8 years (5 years if the CDL carries a Hazmat endorsement) |
| Knowledge test fee | — |
| Skills test fee | — |
| Testing rules | |
| Third-party testers allowed | Yes |
| Retest waiting period | — |
Other published fees
- CDL with Hazmat endorsement, 5-year cycle (not eligible for 8-year cycle): $30
- CDL each additional endorsement: $10
- Non-CDL Class A/B (farmer/firefighter waiver license, 8-year): $50
A $5.00 fee is assessed upon CLP issuance, confirmed consistently on both the DMV's CDL program page and the Feb. 2025 Commercial Driver's Manual. The CLP is valid for one year and may not be issued or extended beyond one year from the original issuance date. The 14-day minimum holding period before the skills test matches (not exceeds) the federal floor. Only Passenger (P), School Bus (S), and Tank Vehicle (N) endorsements may be added to a CLP.
Delaware's Commercial Driver's Manual states applicants must 'be 18 years of age with 1 year driving experience for driving intrastate' or 'be 21 years of age with at least 1 year driving experience to drive interstate commerce or to transport hazardous materials' — a 1-year prior driving experience requirement layered on top of the federal age floors. Delaware's self-certification affidavit guide confirms drivers under 21 operating vehicles over 26,001 lbs, 16+ passenger vehicles, or school vehicles receive a 'K' intrastate-only restriction.
Delaware Administrative Code Regulation 2226 authorizes a Third-Party CDL Testing program allowing approved private organizations to administer CDL skills exams, but as published, DMV's own program page is titled 'Third-Party CDL Testing Coming Spring 2025' and describes an application/eligibility process for organizations rather than confirming the program is fully operational; DMV remains the point of contact for scheduling skills tests until third-party testing is initiated. DMV rolled out a modernized CDL skills test (unchanged skill sets, updated pre-trip inspection protocols and checklist) at all locations starting February 26, 2025. No day-based retest waiting period is published; the CDL manual and program pages do not state one.
Delaware 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 | $10 | Yes | Yes |
Hazardous materials: Requires a TSA security threat assessment (fingerprinting, U.S. citizenship/immigration verification) before the endorsement knowledge test may be taken; applicant must also show proof of citizenship and pay a fee directly to the TSA-approved agent for the background check. DMV's fee schedule (updated October 10, 2025) lists a general $10 'CDL each Additional Endorsement' fee; the Commercial Driver's Manual (released February 2025, predating that fee update) states a $5 hazmat endorsement fee — the two sources conflict, and the more recently updated fee-schedule figure is used here.
Tank vehicle: Code N (Tank Vehicle). Special knowledge exam only; no skills test itemized. Applies to any CMV designed to transport liquid or gaseous material in a tank with individual rated capacity over 119 gallons and aggregate rated capacity of 1,000+ gallons. Addable to a CLP.
Doubles/triples: Code T (Double/Triples). Special knowledge exam on handling multiple trailers; addable only to Class A licenses; not addable to a CLP.
Passenger: Code P (Passenger, Class A, B & C). Requires a special knowledge exam and a skills test performed in an actual passenger vehicle. Addable to a CLP.
School bus: Code S (School Bus). Requires a special knowledge exam on passenger-transport safety and a skills test performed in a school bus; must be combined with a Passenger (P) endorsement and an M or N restriction depending on vehicle class. All Delaware school bus drivers must also meet separate Delaware Department of Education training and medical requirements on top of DMV's CDL requirements. Addable to a CLP.
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 Delaware
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 Delaware
Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation administers self-certification for the following FMCSA operating categories:
- Non-Excepted Interstate
- Excepted Interstate
- Non-Excepted Intrastate
- Excepted Intrastate
Delaware DMV's Self-Certification Affidavit and Category Guide (form V 04/25) defines all four FMCSA categories: Category 1 (Non-Excepted Interstate), Category 2 (Excepted Interstate — e.g., school bus not crossing state lines is Category 3 instead, farm custom harvesters, beekeepers, private non-business passenger carriage), Category 3 (Non-Excepted Intrastate, requires a 'K' restricted license), and Category 4 (Excepted Intrastate, Non-CDL Class A/B holders only).
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.
- Delaware DMV's fee schedule states that CDL learner's permit costs are 'included' in the driver's license fee, but both the CDL program page and the Commercial Driver's Manual separately state a $5.00 fee is charged specifically upon CLP issuance. We report the $5.00 figure, the one consistently and explicitly stated, but note the apparent inconsistency with the fee schedule's general 'included' language.
- Delaware's own Commercial Driver's Manual (released February 2025) states the Hazmat endorsement fee is $5, while the DMV's fee schedule (updated October 10, 2025, after the manual's release) lists a general $10 fee for each additional CDL endorsement. We use the more recently dated $10 figure for all endorsement fees, since it postdates the manual and DMV's fee page does not itemize a lower rate specifically for hazmat.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- Delaware DMV — Commercial Driver's License (CDL) program page
- Delaware DMV — Fees (Motor Vehicle Fees schedule)
- Delaware DMV — DMVFees.js (live fee values rendered on the Fees page)
- Delaware DMV — Commercial Driver's Manual, Version 4.0 (Modernized Testing System, released February 2025)
- Delaware DMV — Self-Certification Affidavit and Category Guide (Form, V 04/25)
- Delaware DMV — Third-Party CDL Testing Program
- Delaware DMV — Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) information
- Delaware DMV — Contact and Location Information
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Transportation