CDL Requirements in Texas
Verified against Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License 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 →
Texas DPS bundles nearly all CDL and CLP fees into single class-based line items rather than itemizing application, knowledge-test, and skills-test charges separately. It runs its own Third-Party Skills Testing (TPST) program for Classes A, B, and C, and issues CDLs for an 8-year cycle — shortened to 5 years when a Hazmat endorsement is carried, to align with the federal TSA security threat assessment cycle.
Texas's CDL requirements — including a $25 commercial learner permit fee and an intrastate minimum age of 18 — are verified against Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division (see Texas DPS — Driver License and CDL Fee Schedule), current as of 2026-07-25.
Texas CDL Requirements at a Glance
This is the fee, age, and testing detail for Texasspecifically — 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 | $25 |
| Minimum holding period before skills test | 14 days |
| CLP validity | 6 months |
| Age minimums | |
| Intrastate minimum age | 18 |
| Interstate minimum age | 21 (federal floor) |
| Fees | |
| Application fee | — |
| Initial CDL fee | $97 |
| Renewal fee | $97 |
| 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, new or renewal (5-year cycle): $61
- Non-domiciled CDL, new or renewal: $121
- Age 85+ CDL, new or renewal (2-year cycle): $26
- CDL for Penal Code Ch. 62 registrant (1-year cycle): $21
- Replacement CDL/CLP: $11
Valid 180 days from issuance, or until the underlying Texas driver license expires, whichever is earlier; renewable. Texas Transportation Code §522.014 sets the 14-day minimum holding period before the skills test, matching (not exceeding) the federal floor. Only Tank (N), Passenger (P), and School Bus (S) endorsements may be added to a CLP.
Confirmed directly on DPS's own self-certification forms: Non-Excepted Interstate applicants must be 21+ (form CDL-4); Excepted Interstate and both Intrastate categories require 18+ (forms CDL-10 and CDL-5).
Texas authorizes DPS-certified companies to administer both knowledge and skills exams for Classes A, B, and C under its Third-Party Skills Testing (TPST) program (providers must hold a $25,000 surety bond per examiner). There is no fixed day-based retest waiting period; instead, an application remains active for 90 days or 3 failed knowledge-test attempts, whichever comes first — after that the applicant must submit a new application and fees. A passing knowledge-test score is 80% or higher.
Texas CDL Endorsements
| Endorsement | Available | Fee | Knowledge test | Skills test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazardous materials (H) | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| Tank vehicle (N) | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| Doubles/triples (T) | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| Passenger (P) | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| School bus (S) | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
Hazardous materials: Requires a security threat assessment (fingerprint-based background check). No separate DPS endorsement fee is published — cost shows up only as the shorter 5-year CDL renewal cycle priced at $61. Not available to Non-Domiciled CDL holders, Texas Limb Waiver holders, or intrastate-certified drivers.
Tank vehicle: Special knowledge exam only; no separate DPS fee or skills-test requirement published.
Doubles/triples: Addable only to Class A licenses; special knowledge exam on multi-trailer handling; no separate DPS fee published.
Passenger: Skills test performed in an actual passenger vehicle; addable to a CLP; no separate DPS fee published.
School bus: Skills test includes a Texas-specific student loading/unloading maneuver demonstration (CMV Handbook §13.1.10); addable to a CLP; no separate DPS fee published.
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 Texas
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.
DLA Academy · Sponsored
Getting a Class A or B CDL in Texas for the first time? The theory half of ELDT can be completed online with a registered provider; behind-the-wheel training must be done in person.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Before paying any provider, confirm it is listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry; only registered providers can submit your completion.
Self-certification in Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division administers self-certification for the following FMCSA operating categories:
- Non-Excepted Interstate
- Excepted Interstate
- Non-Excepted Intrastate
- Excepted Intrastate
Texas DPS operates four distinct self-certification forms: CDL-4 (Non-Excepted Interstate), CDL-10 (Excepted Interstate / physical exemption, e.g. school bus, government, farm custom-harvesting), and CDL-5 (both Intrastate categories, Sections A–C).
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- Texas DPS — Driver License and CDL Fee Schedule
- Texas DPS — Form CDL-4 (Non-Excepted Interstate self-certification)
- Texas DPS — Form CDL-10 (Excepted Interstate / physical exemption)
- Texas DPS — Form CDL-5 (Intrastate self-certification)
- Texas DPS — Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver's Handbook (DL-7C)
- Texas DPS — How to Apply for a Commercial Driver License
- Texas DPS — CDL FAQ (Section 14)
- Texas DPS — Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME)
- Texas DPS — CDL Third-Party Skills Testing Program
- Texas DPS — Driver License Endorsements and Restrictions
- Texas DPS — CDL Waivers and Exceptions
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division