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

Source review dated October 12, 2026 against Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)

In Florida you first hold a regular Class E license, pass the knowledge tests for a Commercial Learner's Permit, hold it at least 14 days while completing required ELDT, then take your skills test — which Florida no longer gives at state offices, so you schedule it with an FLHSMV-contracted third-party tester. The state CDL fee is $75 and a standard CDL lasts 8 years.

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

Florida runs its CDL program through FLHSMV, but with two features that surprise newcomers: the skills test is handled entirely by contracted third-party testers (not state offices), and hazmat fingerprinting is done in-house rather than at a TSA enrollment center. Everything else follows the federal pattern — a Class E license first, ELDT training, knowledge tests for the permit, a 14-day hold, then the skills test.

Budget realistically. The state CDL fee is only $75, but the third-party skills test ($199–$800) is effectively mandatory and often the single biggest state-side line item. Add ELDT tuition, a DOT physical, and — if you want hazmat — a $91 background check. A standard Florida CDL then lasts a generous 8 years (dropping to 4 with a hazmat endorsement).

Eligibility and documents in Florida

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• Proof of identity and lawful presence (REAL ID standard): U.S. birth certificate or valid U.S. passport; immigration documents for non-citizens
• Proof of Social Security number
• Two proofs of Florida residential address (a Florida license held 6+ months can establish residency)
• A valid Florida Class E (regular) driver license
• Medical self-certification and, if required, a current DOT medical certificate on file (now transmitted electronically)

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 Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida

Self-certify your category through the FLHSMV CDL Medical Self-Certification (MyDMV) portal at services.flhsmv.gov/cdlmedcert, or in person at a driver license or tax collector office. Since the June 23, 2025 federal rule, your certified medical examiner transmits your exam results to the state electronically — non-excepted drivers no longer hand in the paper card.

If your card lapses: If your medical certificate lapses and you are not in an excepted category, your CDL is downgraded to a regular license. Keep your self-certification current and renew your medical exam on time.

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 (medical card required)
• EA — Excepted Intrastate

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

What a CDL costs in Florida

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.

The big Florida variable is the third-party skills test ($199–$800), which is effectively required because state offices no longer administer it. Add ELDT tuition and a DOT physical (~$79–$150) on top of state fees. Hazmat adds a $91 background-check fee.

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in Florida

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

Florida allows approved third-party testers to administer the CDL skills test, with availability and fees set by the provider. FLHSMV publishes no official wait times; availability depends on the private site you pick. Bringing a compliant vehicle or using a school that bundles testing usually speeds scheduling.

Your test vehicle: The FLHSMV site list has an 'Is CMV Provided?' column — some testers supply a vehicle, others require you to bring your own. Listed testing prices run roughly $199–$800 depending on class and whether a vehicle is provided.

Endorsements available in Florida

Florida 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 — Florida is a TSA self-managed state: you are fingerprinted at an FLHSMV driver license (or tax collector) office during the same visit you pass the 30-question hazmat test — no separate IdentoGO trip. Florida charges a single $91 background-check fee, and a hazmat CDL renews every 4 years.
• NTanker
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined hazmat + tank; the 4-year hazmat renewal cycle applies.
• PPassenger
• SSchool Bus — Requires the P endorsement first, plus S knowledge and skills tests and ELDT for first-timers.
• TDoubles/Triples

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. Florida applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 disqualification rules through Florida Statutes Chapter 322 (§§ 322.61–322.64), including the lifetime disqualification for using a commercial vehicle in a controlled-substance or human-trafficking felony. No material state-only additions were found beyond the federal baseline.

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 Florida-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.

Florida waives the CDL skills test for qualifying service members using FLHSMV Form 71054. You must be on active duty or within one year of separation, with at least two years of recent experience operating a vehicle that would require a civilian CDL. Knowledge tests are not waived.

Florida CDL FAQ