CDL Requirements in Illinois
Verified against Illinois Secretary of State, CDL Division ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetCDLLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Illinois runs its entire CDL program through the Secretary of State (SOS), which documents all knowledge and skills testing as conducted at its own SOS facilities; state law (625 ILCS 5/6-508(a)(2)) separately authorizes the Secretary of State to approve third-party testers, though no page confirms whether that authorization is currently exercised. Illinois layers an escalating 'Third-Time Fail Rule' on top of federal retest rules (30 days after a 3rd failure of the same exam, 90 days after the 6th, one year after the 9th) and, distinctively, issues a separate Illinois-only School Bus Permit (SBP) on top of the CDL School Bus (S) endorsement for anyone transporting Illinois school children on curriculum-related activities.
Illinois's CDL requirements — including a $50 commercial learner permit fee and an intrastate minimum age of 18 — are verified against Illinois Secretary of State, CDL Division (see Illinois Secretary of State — Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP)), current as of 2026-07-25.
Illinois CDL Requirements at a Glance
This is the fee, age, and testing detail for Illinoisspecifically — 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 | $50 |
| 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 | $60 |
| Renewal period | 4 years |
| Knowledge test fee | — |
| Skills test fee | — |
| Testing rules | |
| Third-party testers allowed | — |
| Retest waiting period | — |
Other published fees
- CDL renewal or out-of-state transfer with a motorcycle (L/M) class: $65
- CDL holder obtaining an original CLP to upgrade classification or add an endorsement: $5
- Add or change an endorsement/restriction on an existing Illinois CDL (no CLP required): $5
- Add or change an endorsement/restriction on an existing Illinois CLP (corrected CLP required): $5
- Add a School Bus Permit (SBP) to a CDL or non-CDL: $9
The $50 fee applies to an Illinois non-CDL holder obtaining an original CLP; a driver who already holds an Illinois CDL and is upgrading classification or adding an endorsement pays $5 for the CLP instead. The CLP is valid one year from the date the temporary card is received and is not renewable — a new full application and retesting is required if a CLP lapses. Only the Tank (N), Passenger (P), and School Bus (S) endorsements may be added to a CLP; Hazardous Materials (H) and the combined Tank/Hazmat (X) endorsement cannot be placed on a CLP and require going directly to CDL testing after TSA clearance.
Illinois' own CDL page states applicants must be 'at least 18 years old ... to operate intrastate, and at least 21 to operate in interstate commerce or to transport passengers' — meaning Illinois independently requires age 21 to hold a Passenger (P) endorsement even for purely intrastate service, exceeding the commonly-seen 18-year intrastate floor.
All CDL knowledge and skills/drive testing is documented as conducted at Secretary of State facilities (including 'Central Issuance' full-service CDL facilities) via the IL FAST Pass appointment system. Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/6-508(a)(2)) separately gives the Secretary of State authority to 'authorize a "third party tester"' to administer the CDL skills test under 49 CFR 383.75 — but no SOS page found confirms whether that authority is currently exercised, so this site does not state whether Illinois currently runs an active third-party program, rather than assuming it doesn't from silence. Under Illinois' 'Third-Time Fail Rule,' failing the same exam 3 times triggers a 30-day wait before retesting that exam, 6 total failures trigger a 90-day wait, and 9 total failures trigger a one-year wait, with additional fees charged after each waiting period. Knowledge tests require a minimum score of 80% (90% for the School Bus knowledge test) and are valid up to one year.
Illinois CDL Endorsements
| Endorsement | Available | Fee | Knowledge test | Skills test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazardous materials (H) | Yes | $5 | Yes | No |
| Tank vehicle (N) | Yes | $5 | Yes | No |
| Doubles/triples (T) | Yes | $5 | Yes | No |
| Passenger (P) | Yes | $5 | Yes | Yes |
| School bus (S) | Yes | $5 | Yes | Yes |
Hazardous materials: Covers both the Hazardous Materials (H) and combined Tank/Hazmat (X) endorsements. Cannot be added to a CLP — applicants must clear TSA and then test directly for the CDL. Each CDL renewal that carries an H or X endorsement (every 4 years) requires passing the Hazardous Materials knowledge test again and, in most cases, completing a new TSA security threat assessment.
Tank vehicle: Endorsement code N. Applies to any tank permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle with an individual capacity over 119 gallons and an aggregate capacity of 1,000 gallons or more; may be added to a CLP.
Doubles/triples: Endorsement code T; only applies to a Class A CDL. Triple trailers are not permitted on Illinois highways even though the endorsement is labeled 'Double/Triple Trailer.'
Passenger: Endorsement code P, required to drive a vehicle designed for 16+ occupants including the driver. Requires holding a CLP with the P endorsement for 14 days before skills and drive testing; Illinois sets the minimum age at 21 for this endorsement regardless of interstate/intrastate status.
School bus: Endorsement code S, tested in an actual yellow school bus; requires holding or simultaneously obtaining the Passenger (P) endorsement and a 14-day CLP hold. Separately, Illinois requires a distinct, Illinois-only School Bus Permit (SBP, $9) to actually transport Illinois school children on curriculum-related school activities — the S endorsement alone does not authorize this; the SBP is tested in whatever class vehicle (A, B, C, or D) the driver will use and lapses if expired more than 30 days.
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 Illinois
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 Illinois
Illinois Secretary of State, CDL Division administers self-certification for the following FMCSA operating categories:
- Non-Excepted Interstate
- Excepted Interstate
- Non-Excepted Intrastate
- Excepted Intrastate
Illinois' CDL page lists these as its 'four categories of self-certification,' using the state abbreviations NI, EI, NA, and EA respectively. Only Non-Excepted Interstate (NI) drivers must keep a current medical examiner's certificate on file with the Secretary of State; the K restriction is applied to CDL/CLP holders who certify to either intrastate category.
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.
- Illinois issues two distinct school-bus-related credentials: the CDL School Bus (S) endorsement, tested in an actual yellow school bus, and a separate Illinois-only School Bus Permit (SBP) required to transport Illinois school children for curriculum-related activities. Holding one does not substitute for the other.
- Illinois sets the minimum age for a Passenger (P) endorsement at 21 even for purely intrastate operation, exceeding the 18-year intrastate floor seen in many other states.
- Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/6-508(a)(2)) authorizes the Secretary of State to approve third-party CDL skills testers; no source confirms whether that authority is currently exercised, so this site does not state whether Illinois runs an active third-party testing program.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State — Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP)
- Illinois Secretary of State — CDL Study Guide (dsd_cdl10.pdf)
- Illinois Secretary of State — CDL Skills and Drive Information Sheet (dsd_cdl25.pdf)
- Illinois Secretary of State — Restricted Class B CDL Application, Farm-Related Services (dsd_cdl7.pdf)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-508 (Illinois Vehicle Code — third-party skills testing authorization)
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: Illinois Secretary of State, CDL Division