CDL Requirements in Colorado (2026): Steps, Cost & Testing

Source review dated July 20, 2026 against Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Revenue

Colorado issues CDLs through the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), part of the Department of Revenue. You hold a regular Colorado license, pass the knowledge tests for a $20 Commercial Learner's Permit, complete ELDT and hold the permit at least 14 days, then take your skills test — which state offices no longer give, so you schedule it with a state-certified third-party tester. The CDL fee is $35 and a Colorado CDL is valid 4 years.

This guide combines federal rules with dated state research. Read the review notes before paying fees or booking a test.

State fees are low: $20 for the permit and $35 for the CDL, about $55 total. The larger, effectively mandatory cost is the third-party skills test (a estimated ~$200–$300), plus ELDT tuition (roughly $4,000–$8,000 for a Class A program) and a DOT physical. A Colorado CDL then lasts 4 years, and the permit is valid one year and can't be renewed.

Two other points to plan around: medical certificates are handled entirely electronically — Colorado accepts DOT medical info only from your provider through FMCSA's National Registry, with no paper accepted — and, due to a new FMCSA rule, the DMV paused issuance and renewal of term-limited (non-domiciled) CDLs and CLPs effective September 29, 2025. That pause affects only non-domiciled applicants, not standard Colorado residents.

Eligibility and documents in Colorado

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• A valid Colorado driver license and a CLP (or a valid out-of-state CDL if transferring)
• A current DOT medical card on file electronically (see medical section)
• Proof of your current physical Colorado address
• Identity, Social Security number, and residency documents per general DMV requirements
• For hazmat: a current TSA background check each time you purchase the CDL
• Skills-test completion recorded in CSTIMS by the certified third-party tester

How to get your CDL: step by step

1. 1

   Check eligibility, documents, and medical qualification

   Choose the CDL class and endorsements for your vehicle. Hold the required regular license and bring Colorado identity, residency, and Social Security documents. Self-certify your operating category and complete a DOT physical before the permit if that category requires medical certification.

2. 2

   Pass the knowledge tests and obtain your CLP

   Take general knowledge and the vehicle/endorsement tests that apply. ELDT theory may be taken earlier, but federal rules do not require it before the CLP. A first-time hazmat applicant must complete hazmat theory before the hazmat knowledge test; hazmat is not issued on a CLP.

3. 3

   Complete required training and practice during the permit hold

   Hold the CLP for at least 14 days before the skills test. Use a qualified supervising driver for public-road practice. First-time Class A/B, B-to-A upgrades, and first-time P/S endorsements require applicable theory and behind-the-wheel ELDT from registered providers. The appropriate CLP is needed for public-road training. State training requirements may add to the federal baseline.

4. 4

   Pass the skills test in the right vehicle

   Confirm ELDT completion is recorded, arrange the test and a representative vehicle, then complete vehicle inspection, basic control, and road driving. The vehicle and transmission you test in can restrict your license.

5. 5

   Complete issuance and maintain your qualifications

   Pay the applicable Colorado issuance fees and confirm the correct class, endorsements, restrictions, and expiration. Keep your medical status current when required and follow the agency’s renewal instructions.

Medical certification in Colorado

Fully electronic — no paper submission is accepted. The DMV states: 'All DOT medical information is submitted directly to FMCSA's National Registry by the medical provider. The State of Colorado will receive the information electronically from the registry. This is the only allowable method.' The provider submits within 24 business hours, and you can confirm it on myDMV after 24–48 hours. This aligns with National Registry II (effective June 23, 2025).

If your card lapses: Keep your self-certification and medical card current; if the medical certificate lapses, the CDL is downgraded to a regular license.

Every CDL holder must self-certify one operating category. The categories offered here:

• NI — Non-excepted Interstate (medical card required)
• EI — Excepted Interstate
• NA — Non-excepted Intrastate (triggers the K restriction)
• EA — Excepted Intrastate (triggers the K restriction)

New to the DOT physical? See our DOT physical guide and CDL medical card explainer.

What a CDL costs in Colorado

These are separate transaction types, not charges that every applicant pays. Renewal, replacement, endorsement, and retest fees are alternatives or extras. Amounts are from the dated research; check current official fees before paying.

Only about $55 is mandatory state fees. The bigger variable is the third-party skills test (a estimated ~$200–$300, effectively required since state offices don't administer it) plus ELDT tuition and a DOT physical. Hazmat adds the federal TSA background-check fee (set by TSA, ~$86 — confirm current amount at tsa.gov).

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in Colorado

Testing access: State / approved third parties. Official testing instructions.

Colorado allows approved third-party testers to administer the CDL skills test, with availability and fees set by the provider. Third-party facilities set their own fees and scheduling; the DMV does not publish official wait times. A estimated market figure is around $275 for the third-party skills test, which varies by provider.

Your test vehicle: The skills test must be taken in the same class and type of vehicle you intend to drive; the vehicle's equipment determines restrictions (for example, an automatic adds 'E', no air brakes adds 'L', a non-tractor Class A adds 'O').

Endorsements available in Colorado

Colorado offers the standard federal endorsements. Adding one usually means an extra knowledge test (and a skills test for passenger and school bus). Tap an endorsement for the full federal process and cost:

• HHazmat — Requires the hazmat knowledge test (English only), a valid TSA background check each time you purchase the CDL, and ELDT for first-timers. Colorado uses the standard TSA/IdentoGO process — it is not a self-managed state. Renewal requires a valid TSA clearance on file plus the hazmat written test, taken at an office by appointment.
• NTanker — Tanker (knowledge test) for bulk liquids/gases; cement mixers do not require N.
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined tanker + hazmat; same TSA background-check rule as H.
• PPassenger — Passenger. Requires ELDT plus a full skills test in a passenger vehicle.
• SSchool Bus — School bus. Requires ELDT plus a skills test in a school bus and cannot stand alone — the P endorsement is required.
• TDoubles/Triples — Double/triple trailers (knowledge test only; Class A only).

CDL disqualifications

Disqualifying offenses are set by federal law (49 CFR 383.51) and apply in every state. Some also apply in a personal vehicle; vehicle-specific conditions matter. Colorado applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 disqualifications (mirrored in Colorado DMV Rule 7, 1 CCR 204-30). No unusual state-only disqualification offenses were found beyond the federal baseline. Colorado uses several restriction codes, including 'K' (intrastate only, required for ages 18–21), 'L'/'Z' (air brakes), 'E' (no manual transmission), and 'O' (no tractor-trailer).

The offenses that trigger a disqualification, the length of each, and the federal exceptions are listed once in our CDL disqualifications guide instead of repeating the table here. Check the review notes for any Colorado-specific additions we could not confirm.

Military skills-test waiver

Check the temporary July 30–October 29, 2026 federal eligibility extension and ask the state whether it participates.

Colorado runs the 'Vets-2-Trucks' Military CDL Skills Test Waiver (Form DR 2742) for qualifying current or recently separated (within one year) service members with at least two years of experience operating a similar military CMV. It waives the skills test only — knowledge tests are not waived — and ELDT theory training may still be required.

Colorado CDL FAQ