CDL Requirements in Texas
Verified against Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources 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.
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.
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