By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 22, 2026
Quick answers for California CDL applicants
Use this page to answer the three searches most CDL applicants make before choosing a school or booking a test: what the state charges, where the skills test is handled, and whether the state adds anything beyond federal ELDT.
- Published fee lines
- 8
- Skills testing
- the agency's own examiners
- Training rule
- Federal ELDT applies
Amounts below come from California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Booking points to dmv.ca.gov/portal/appointments/select-appointment-type.
State-specific ELDT notes are cited below.
What a California CDL costs
These are the license-side fees California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) publishes; training tuition is a separate, school-set cost covered in our CDL training cost guide. A line reading "Not confirmed" means the agency publishes no figure; the note beside it says what the agency does say.
- Commercial learner permit (CLP)
- DMV charges one nonrefundable commercial application fee rather than a separate permit line; the permit is issued under that application.Term: Up to 180 days from issuance, renewable once within a year of the application
Endorsement fees
Endorsements ride on the base license; hazmat also carries a federal background check handled outside the license fee. Our hazmat endorsement guide covers that federal layer.
Test fees
Who gives the skills test in California
States split between running CDL skills tests themselves and certifying third-party testers; it changes where you book and who you pay.
- Testing model
- DMV administers the CDL skills test itself: a vehicle inspection, a basic control skills test, and a road test, given only by appointment at DMV offices.
- Scheduling
- Skills tests are not given without an appointment; book online or by phone at 1-800-777-0133 during business hours. dmv.ca.gov/portal/appointments/select-appointment-type
Every applicant also needs a current medical certificate; our DOT physical guide covers the exam that produces it. Not sure your truck even needs a CDL? Start with CDL vs non-CDL.
The federal training rule, then California's position
Entry-level driver training (ELDT) is federal: it applies in every state before the tests it gates, and the training must come from a provider on FMCSA's registry. The full walkthrough lives in our how to get a CDL guide.
- Who must train
- First-time Class A or Class B applicants; Class B holders upgrading to Class A; First-time S, P, or H endorsement applicants
- Registry requirement
- Entry-level driver training means training received from an entity listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, completed before taking the CDL skills test for a first or upgraded Class A or Class B CDL, before the skills test for a first P or S endorsement, or before the knowledge test for a first H endorsement. You must complete training with a provider listed on the registry.
- States may add more
- States with training requirements that exceed the federal minimum standard may prohibit you from taking the skills test, or the knowledge test for the H endorsement, until you meet their state requirements as well as the federal ones. Federal rules also allow you to receive training and take the CDL skills test in a state other than the state you are licensed in.
DMV's CDL application pages document the federal steps (ten-year history check, medical certification, knowledge and skills tests) without stating a California training requirement beyond the federal entry-level driver training rule; no state addition is recorded here.
The official manual and where this fits
The knowledge tests come straight from the state's own manual, so study the agency's current edition: California Commercial Driver's Handbook. The CDL licenses you as a driver; if the plan is your own trucks and your own freight, the business side runs on its own track through start a trucking company in California.
If you searched for California CDL requirements, go here next
Still deciding if you need a CDL?
Start with the vehicle weight and use case. The national guide explains the CDL threshold before you pay for a permit or training.
Compare CDL vs non-CDLReady to drive under your own authority?
The CDL is the driver credential. Operating authority, IRP, IFTA, insurance, and permits are the business credential stack.
See the California startup sequenceFrequently asked questions
Who gives the CDL skills test in California?
- DMV administers the CDL skills test itself: a vehicle inspection, a basic control skills test, and a road test, given only by appointment at DMV offices.
Does California require training beyond the federal ELDT rule?
- DMV's CDL application pages document the federal steps (ten-year history check, medical certification, knowledge and skills tests) without stating a California training requirement beyond the federal entry-level driver training rule; no state addition is recorded here.
Where do the California CDL fees on this page come from?
- Every dollar amount renders from California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)'s own published fee schedule, cited beside the figure. When the agency publishes no figure for a line, this page shows the agency's own note instead of a guess.
Do I need my CDL before starting a trucking company?
- They are separate tracks: the CDL licenses the driver, while operating authority licenses the business. Most owner-operators finish the CDL first because revenue depends on it, then file the business-side registrations. The state startup guide linked on this page covers that second track in order.
Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.