Remove a CDL restriction
Plan the correct test vehicle and testing process for automatic-transmission, air-brake, and combination restrictions.
Source review: September 30, 2026. Confirm your individual transaction with the licensing agency.
Read the code on your credential
Common federal restrictions include E for no manual-transmission CMV, L for no air-brake CMV, Z for no full-air-brake CMV, and O for no tractor-trailer CMV. Passenger restrictions can limit vehicle classes. Read all codes with your state’s legend before arranging a test.
Ask which tests and permit are required
Tell the agency your current class, restriction code, and the vehicle you intend to drive. Removing a restriction may require a knowledge test, a permit, or skills testing in a suitable vehicle. A class upgrade or first P/S endorsement can separately trigger ELDT. Removing E alone is not a federal ELDT trigger.
Use a vehicle that proves the ability
To remove E, arrange the required testing in an appropriate manual-transmission CMV. For L or Z, confirm the required knowledge and skills components in a vehicle with the necessary braking system. For O, confirm tractor-trailer testing requirements. Before driving afterward, verify that the restriction has actually been removed from the state record.
Find your state’s next steps
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