Do I Need a CDL? How To Get it. Classes and State Requirements

Do I need a CDL?

Table of Contents

What is a CDL License?

A CDL (Commercial Driver's License) is a specialized license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous-material-carrying vehicles such as buses, trucks, and tractor-trailers. Issued by individual states in the U.S., a CDL ensures that drivers meet strict safety standards and have the necessary skills to handle commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).

The license is divided into three classes:

  • Class A: For operating vehicles with a combination weight of 26,001 lbs or more, including towed units over 10,000 lbs.
  • Class B: For single vehicles weighing 26,001 lbs or more, or towing units under 10,000 lbs.
  • Class C: For vehicles designed to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or hazardous materials.

Obtaining a CDL involves passing a knowledge test and a skills test and may include endorsements for specific types of vehicles or cargo.

How Do I Get a CDL License?

  1. Check State Requirements: Each state’s DMV or equivalent agency sets specific CDL licensing rules. Check here the requirements for your state.
  2. Obtain a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP): Before taking the skills test, you must hold a CLP for a designated period.
  3. Pass the Knowledge Test: Covers road rules and commercial vehicle operation.
  4. Pass the Skills Test: Includes:
    • Pre-trip inspection.
    • Basic vehicle control.
    • On-road driving.
  5. Complete a Medical Examination: A medical certificate may be required.
  6. Provide Documentation: Proof of identity, residency, and other state-specific requirements.
  7. Consider Endorsements: You may need endorsements for passengers, hazardous materials, or towing large trailers.

Training programs at CDL schools can help you prepare for these requirements.

CDL Requirements for Buses

In most states, a CDL is required for vehicles:

  • Designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
  • That exceed certain weight thresholds (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating - GVWR).
  • Used to transport hazardous materials (though this is rare for bus buyers).

Driving Skoolies (Converted School Buses)

If you’re wondering about CDL requirements for skoolies:

  • Most states offer CDL exemptions for personal-use recreational vehicles.
  • In these cases, you can often drive a skoolie with a regular driver’s license.

Why Non-CDL Buses are Labeled Differently

For simplicity, non-CDL buses on BusesForSale.com are labeled as such when they:

  • Are designed for 14 passengers or fewer (plus the driver).
  • Stay under the 16-passenger limit required for a CDL in most states.

Important CDL Considerations

Hazardous Materials Transport: All states require CDL licensing for transporting hazardous materials. While this is unlikely for bus buyers, it’s important to be aware of the law.

State-by-State Variations: CDL requirements vary significantly. Always confirm rules for your state, especially if you plan to drive across state lines.

Disclaimer About Information Accuracy

Our summaries are meant to serve as a quick reference guide and should not be treated as authoritative.

Some details were confirmed via phone calls to state agencies and may not be fully reflected on state websites.

Always verify requirements with the appropriate state agency.

Looking for a Non-CDL Bus?

If you’re in the market for a bus that doesn’t require a CDL to drive, we’ve got you covered! Explore our wide range of non-CDL buses, including:

  • Shuttle Buses
  • Transit Vans
  • Short Buses

These vehicles simplify ownership while meeting your transportation needs.

Requirements By State

How to get a CDL license in Alabama

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Alabama CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Alaska

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 lbs. pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Alaska CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Arizona

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 lbs. pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Arizona CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in California

CDL Required For: Any 2 axle vehicle over 26,000 pounds, or a 3-axle vehicle over 6,000 pounds, or any vehicle designed to transport more than 10 passengers including driver. "Housecars" over 40 feet but less than 45 feet may be driven without a CDL with the proper endorsement. Click here for more information about California CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Colorado

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 lbs. pounds or with more than 16 passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 16 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Colorado CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Connecticut

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 lbs. pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or more than 10 passengers if used to transport students under the age of 21 to and from school. Must have P endorsement on license for either of these cases, and S endorsement for transporting students. Click here for more information about Connecticut CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Delaware

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 lbs. pounds or with more than 16 passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Delaware CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Florida

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Florida CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Georgia

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Georgia CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Illinois

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Illinois CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Indiana

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Indiana CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Iowa

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or for a vehicle weighing 10,000 or more pounds that has been modified to carry less than 16 handicapped individuals. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers, or for transporting less than 16 passengers in a redesigned or modified bus weighing more than 10,000 pounds which is designed to accommodate less than 16 handicapped individuals. An S endorsement is also required for the operation of any school bus. Click here for more information about Iowa CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Kansas

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Kansas CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Kentucky

CDL Required For: Anything that can transport 16 or more passengers. Weight is only factored in as far as which class of CDL is required. A vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds by itself is not enough to require a CDL. However, you will need a medical examination certificate to drive any vehicle over 10,000 pounds, or that transports more than 8 passengers (including driver) for monetary compensation, or which transports more than 15 passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers for any reason. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Kentucky CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Louisiana

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Class D license required for any vehicle used to tranport passengers for a fee. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Louisiana CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Maine

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Maine CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Maryland

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, and all school buses. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Maryland CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Massachusetts

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement and School Bus Driver Certificate required for driving a school bus. It is not entirely clear if the vehicle is still considered a school bus even if not being used to transport children. To operate a school bus that carries 14 or fewer passengers, you only need a standard Class D license plus a Restricted School Bus Driver Certificate. Click here for more information about Massachusetts CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Michigan

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements, as are "other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non-business purposes." Click here for more information about Michigan CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Minnesota

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or for any vehicle that is "outwardly equipped and identified as a school bus." Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to operate a school bus. Minnesota defines a school bus as "A motor vehicle used to transport pupils (grades K-12) to or from a school or to or from school-related activities, by the school or a school district or by someone under an agreement with the school or a school district." RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Minnesota CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Missouri

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for "Public and private school employees who operate school busses transporting students from home to school, school to home, and school-sponsored events." Click here for more information about Missouri CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Montana

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for "vehicles that are designed or used to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver, that are pre-primary, primary, or secondary school students from home to school, from school to home, or to and from school sponsored events." Click here for more information about Montana CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Nebraska

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Nebraska CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Nevada

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Nevada CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in New Hampshire

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to operate a school bus designed to transport "16 or more students, including the driver." However, New Hampshire also requires a separate School Bus Certificate which requires the operator to be employed and on the roster of a school bus company. The New Hampshire Bureau of Driver Licensing confirmed in a phone call that school buses can be used privately in the state of New Hampshire, but they have to be cosmetically reformed to not look like a school bus - i.e., remove all "School Bus" markings, lights, stop signs, and possibly they may need to be re-painted. Check with the appropriate New Hampshire government agency to confirm all details prior to purchasing a school bus. Click here for more information about New Hampshire CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in New Jersey

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or anything over 7 passengers that is used to transport passengers for hire. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about New Jersey CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in New York

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events if the bus is over 26,000 pounds, seats 16 or more passengers, and is owned by a school, or by a private company transporting children for compensation. Click here for more information about New York CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in North Carolina

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to drive a school bus. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about North Carolina CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in North Dakota

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about North Dakota CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Ohio

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or any school bus. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Commercial vehicles "not used in commerce and not regulated by the Public Utilities Commission" are also exempt. Click here for more information about Ohio CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Oklahoma

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to drive a school bus. Information on the Oklahoma website is sparse and mostly consists of links to the CDL manual. If you are considering registering a bus, particularly a school bus, in Oklahoma, we encourage you to contact the state directly for more information. Click here for more information about Oklahoma CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Oregon

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for any vehicle marked with the words "School Bus" and which is used for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Oregon CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Pennsylvania

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or 11 or more passengers if a school bus. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to drive a school bus designed to carry 11 or more passengers. Click here for more information about Pennsylvania CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Tennessee

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers, or for any school bus. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Tennessee CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Texas

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. A school bus not used primarily for transporting students must not bear the words "school bus." RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Texas CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Utah

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Utah CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Vermont

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required to drive any vehicle which is designated as a school bus. Click here for more information about Vermont CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Washington State

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements. Click here for more information about Washington State CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Wisconsin

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for operating a school bus as defined under Wisconsin law (see here). RVs driven for personal, family use only are exempt from CDL requirements as long as they are 45 feet or less in length. Click here for more information about Wisconsin CDLs

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How to get a CDL license in Wyoming

CDL Required For: Anything over 26,000 pounds or with 16 or more passengers. Must have P endorsement on license for more than 15 passengers. S endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events. Click here for more information about Wyoming CDLs

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