Commercial Driver License
All applicants for a Commercial Driver License are required to have an Operators License and pass the vision requirements. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. If they are under 21, they will be restricted to intrastate operation only.
Oral exams may be given in English, Spanish or Haitian Creole with the exception of skills test or Hazmat exams. Interpreters may not be used during the administration of CDL oral exams or during any portions of the CDL skill exams.
You must possess a Commercial Driver License (CDL) if:
- you operate a truck or truck combination with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR, or total capacity weight as determined by the manufacturer) of 26,001 pounds or more, or
- you operate a vehicle that is designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver), or
- your vehicle requires a placard to transport hazardous materials.
You are exempt from obtaining a CDL if you:
- drive authorized emergency vehicles, or
- are military personnel driving military vehicles, or
- are a farmer transporting farm machinery, products, or supplies within 150 miles of your farm, or
- drive recreational vehicles for recreation reasons, or
- drive a single-unit truck used to transport your own personal property which is not for sale, or
- are employed by a publicly owned transit system and move trucks for maintenance or parking within the transit system's property.
Reciprocations of CDLs:
- Florida reciprocates all CDL license classes, endorsements, and restrictions for any of the 50 states and Canada. Please note that a Heavy Vehicle license from Puerto Rico is not reciprocal as a CDL.
- If you recently drove heavy vehicles while in the military, it is possible that you can obtain a commercial driver license without passing a skills test. Please call (386) 758-1077 for more information concerning this option.
DL license classes and their testing requirements include:
Class A - combination trucks with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or more, provided the towed vehicle's GVWR is over 10,000 lbs.
Testing requirements
- minimum age 18
- CDL General Knowledge test
- Combination vehicle test
- Air brakes
- Vision - 20/40 in each eye
- Hearing - must hear a whisper
- Pre-Trip
- Basic Skills
- Driving Test
Note: Drivers under 21 years of age will be restricted to intrastate operation only
Class B - straight (single-unit) trucks with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or more
Testing requirements
- CDL General Knowledge test
- Air brakes if applicable
- Vision - 20/40 in each eye
- Hearing - must hear a whisper
- Pre-Trip
- Basic Skills
- Driving Test
Note: Drivers under 21 years of age will be restricted to intrastate operation only.
Class C - trucks with a GVWR of less than 26,001 lbs. but that are (1) designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver), or (2) require a placard to transport hazardous materials
Testing requirements
- General Knowledge test
- Air brakes if applicable
- Vision - 20/40 in each eye
- Hearing - must hear a whisper
- Driving Test
Note: Drivers under 21 years of age will be restricted to intrastate operation only.
Additional testing may be required, depending on the endorsement(s) needed.
Please note that because of vision requirements, CDL holders are not eligible to renew on-line.