Introduction to CDL and Basic Information

CDL License Fees & How to Get a CDL

CDL License Fees (Idaho)

CDL: One year (age 20) $15.00
CDL: Three year (age 18 to 21) $30.00
CDL: Four year (age 21 and over) $40.00
Seasonal CDL (180 Days) $44.00
Commercial Learner’s Permit $29.00
Duplicate CDL or permit $20.00
License upgrade $30.00
Add Endorsement (after issuance of a CDL --does not include written test fee) $20.00
Written tests (each) $ 5.00
Skills Test: County CDL License fee $10.00

CDL Skills Test Examiners may charge any amount for a CDL test up to $190 as set by the 2017 Idaho legislature. Amount charged by examiners for tests will be posted on the Idaho Commercial Driver’s License Skills Tester List available online at: https://itd.idaho.gov/itddmv/?target=driverslicense-id-cards/#cdl

Print versions are available at your DMV Office.

How to Get A CDL

To apply for a commercial driver’s license, you must:

Be at least 18 years old
Have a valid Idaho non-commercial license (Class D) or have passed all tests required to obtain one. You may be able to take your Class D license tests and your CDL tests at the same time.
You must have at least one year of licensed driving experience in order to obtain a CDL per Idaho Code 49-303(4).

To apply for your CDL, go to your county Driver’s License Office. Bring your current driver’s license, Social Security card, and money to pay your fees. You will also be required to provide proof of legal presence in the United States via one of six federally approved documents. The approved documents are shown on the next page.

All applications shall also state whether the applicant has previously been licensed as a driver, and if so, when and by what state or country, and whether a driver's license or privileges have ever been suspended, revoked, denied, disqualified, canceled or whether an application has ever been refused, and if so, the date of and reason for the suspension, revocation, denial, disqualification, cancellation or refusal and the applicant's oath that all information is correct as signified by the applicant's signature.

Every applicant for a class A, B or C driver's license or commercial learner's permit shall provide proof of United States citizenship or lawful permanent residency in the United States upon application for issuance, transfer, upgrade or renewal, unless the applicant's driving record already contains documentation confirming United States citizenship or lawful permanent residency.

The applicant must submit proof of Legal Presence acceptable to the County Driver’s License examiner. The document(s) presented must be original. No photocopies will be accepted. If the name on the birth certificate is not the same as the driver’s current legal name, supporting documents must be presented that establish the changes in name. Examples include marriage license, divorce decrees, or other legal documents.

When a certified copy of a birth certificate or a delayed birth certificate is impossible to obtain from a vital statistics agency, it may still be possible to obtain a US Passport, which meets identity requirements. For more information, contact your local post office or visit the US Department of State website at:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en.html

List of accepted government issued documents

The documents above are the only legally acceptable proof of legal presence in the United States under FMCSA Regulations. Additionally, drivers may need to provide additional documentation if the name on their birth certificate or other legal presence document does not match with their current legal name. For assistance, contact your local DMV Office or Driver Services at (208) 334-8736.

Every applicant for a non-domiciled class A, B or C driver's license or commercial learner's permit domiciled in a foreign country must provide an unexpired employment authorization document issued by the department of homeland security or an unexpired foreign passport accompanied by an approved I-94 form documenting the applicant's most recent admittance into the United States.

Every application for a class A, B or C license shall state where the applicant has been licensed for the preceding ten (10) years and under which of the following driving categories the applicant will operate:

Non-excepted interstate. The applicant operates or expects to operate in interstate commerce, and is required to provide a medical examiner's certificate;
Excepted interstate. The applicant operates or expects to operate in interstate commerce, but engages exclusively in transportation or operations excepted by the federal motor carrier safety administration from all or parts of the qualification requirements of federal motor carrier safety regulation 49, part 391, and is therefore not required to provide a medical examiner's certificate;
Non-excepted intrastate. The applicant operates only in intrastate commerce and is subject to and meets all Idaho driver qualification requirements and the applicable parts of federal motor carrier safety regulation 49, part 391, and is required to provide a medical examiner's certificate; or
Excepted intrastate. The applicant operates in intrastate commerce, but engages exclusively in exempted transportation or operations as listed in section 67-2901B(2), Idaho Code, and the applicable parts of federal motor carrier safety regulation 49, part 391, and is therefore not required to provide a medical examiner's certificate.

General Commercial Driver Qualifications:

Individuals are qualified to drive a commercial vehicle in Idaho if they:

Are at least 21 years of age for Interstate operations (traveling across state lines).
Are at least 18 years of age for Intrastate operations (traveling only within the borders of Idaho).
Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to talk with the general public; understand traffic signs and signals, and make entries on reports and records.
Have the experience and/or training to safely operate a commercial vehicle.
If not exempt under federal and/or state of Idaho law, carry a current medical examiner’s certificate (DOT Medical Card)stating that he or she is physically qualified to drive a commercial vehicle (Federal Motor Carriers Safety Regulations Section 391 – Subpart E)
Have a valid CDL issued from only (1) state or jurisdiction.
Have provided his/her employer with a current list of traffic violations.
Are not currently disqualified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to drive a commercial vehicle.
Have successfully passed the appropriate written examinations and road skills test for the commercial vehicle(s) he/she intends to operate.

Providing false or incorrect information when applying for your driver’s license may result in cancellation of your driving privileges and other penalties. If you obtain a CDL using false or incorrect information, you will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for a period of 60 days. When applying for your CDL, your driving record will be checked, fees will be collected, and you will be required to take the necessary knowledge tests.

After passing the knowledge tests and obtaining a commercial learner’s permit, you must schedule a skills test with a certified Idaho CDL Skills Tester. The Driver’s License office will provide you with a list of Third Party Skills Testers. After passing the skills test, you may obtain your CDL at the Driver’s License office.

Foreign Commercial Driver’s License (if applicable)

If you are a foreign driver from any country other than Mexico or Canada, holding a temporary work visa for the United States, you may apply for an Idaho non-domiciled commercial instruction permit or CDL, and you do not have to surrender your home country license. If you become a permanent legal resident or citizen of the United States and resident of Idaho, you must surrender the non-domiciled CDL and any other licenses to receive a regular CDL without retesting unless you are upgrading your CDL or are adding endorsements.

If you are from Canada or Mexico, you are not allowed to purchase a non-domiciled CDL. Canadian and Mexican CDL holders are only required to surrender their license if they change their permanent residence from their country of origin to the United States. If they reside in Idaho they can apply for an Idaho CDL. In order to comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) requirements, if the license you are surrendering was issued in Mexico or Canada you must provide a driving record no older than 30 days.

Commercial Learner’s Permit

A Commercial Learners Permit (commonly known as a CLP) is a permit that only authorizes you to practice on public roads with a qualified CDL holder sitting next to you. Getting the permit involves more than just passing all the knowledge tests for the type of driving you want to do. To make sure that you are eligible your driving record is checked for the last 10 years in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

A Commercial Learner’s Permit is obtained by taking the appropriate tests for the type of vehicle you wish to operate. Upon passing the knowledge tests, a CLP can be issued.

The CLP will be valid for one hundred eighty (180) days and may be renewed one (1) time without requiring the permit holder to retake and pass the required knowledge tests for that class of permit, provided the knowledge tests are less than one (1) year old.

To qualify for a CLP, you must:

Be at least 18 years old.
Hold a valid Idaho Class D driver’s license.
Have at least one year of documented driving experience.

You must have a CLP before you can take your skills test. The examiner must verify that you have taken the appropriate knowledge tests before you can take the skills test. If you are upgrading from a farm or other exemption to a CDL, you will need to purchase a CLP and have it with you when you take the CDL Skills test. By Federal law, you must hold your CLP for at least 14 days before you can take a skills test.

You must have a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate (if required to do so by Idaho law and/or Federal Motor Carrier Regulations) and a Commercial Learner’s Permit whenever you need to practice driving a commercial vehicle prior to taking your skills test.

The Medical Certificate may be required, and a CLP is required even if you are attending a professional truck driving school, company sponsored training program, or receiving private instruction from a friend in his / her own vehicle.

Following are the Federal Rules regarding the Commercial Learner’s Permit:

383.25: Commercial learner's permit (CLP).

(a) A CLP is considered a valid CDL for purposes of behind-the-wheel training on public roads or highways, if all of the following minimum conditions are met:

The CLP holder is at all times accompanied by the holder of a valid CDL who has the proper CDL group and endorsement(s) necessary to operate the CMV. The CDL holder must at all times be physically present in the front seat of the vehicle next to the CLP holder or, in the case of a passenger vehicle, directly behind or in the first row behind the driver and must have the CLP holder under observation and direct supervision.
The CLP holder holds a valid driver's license issued by the same jurisdiction that issued the CLP.
The CLP holder must have taken and passed a general knowledge test that meets the Federal standards contained in subparts F, G, and H of this part for the commercial motor vehicle that person operates or expects to operate.
The CLP holder must be 18 years of age or older.
Endorsements: A CLP holder with a passenger (P) endorsement must have taken and passed the P endorsement knowledge test. A CLP holder with a P endorsement is prohibited from operating a CMV carrying passengers, other than Federal/State auditors and inspectors, test examiners, other trainees, and the CDL holder accompanying the CLP holder as prescribed by paragraph (a)(1) of this section. The P endorsement must be class specific. (ii) A CLP holder with a school bus (S) endorsement must have taken and passed the S endorsement knowledge test. A CLP holder with an S endorsement is prohibited from operating a school bus with passengers other than Federal/State auditors and inspectors, test examiners, other trainees, and the CDL holder accompanying the CLP holder as prescribed by paragraph (a)(1) of this section. (iii) A CLP holder with a tank vehicle (N) endorsement must have taken and passed the N endorsement knowledge test. A CLP holder with an N endorsement may only operate an empty tank vehicle and is prohibited from operating any tank vehicle that previously contained hazardous materials that has not been purged of any residue. (iv) All other Federal endorsements are prohibited on a CLP.
The CLP holder does not operate a commercial motor vehicle transporting hazardous materials as defined in § 383.5.

(b) The CLP must be a separate document from the CDL or non-CDL.

(c) The CLP must be valid for no more than 180 days from the date of issuance. The State may renew the CLP for an additional 180 days without requiring the CLP holder to retake the general and endorsement knowledge tests.

(d) The issuance of a CLP is a precondition to the initial issuance of a CDL. The issuance of a CLP is also a precondition to the upgrade of a CDL if the upgrade requires a skills test.

(e) The CLP holder is not eligible to take the CDL skills test in the first 14 days after initial issuance of the CLP.

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