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

Requirements verified July 20, 2026 against New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles (NH DMV)

New Hampshire issues CDLs through the Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles (NH DMV). You hold a regular NH license, put a valid medical card on file, pass the knowledge test(s) for a Commercial Driver Learner Permit ($20 on top of the $60 CDL fee), complete federal ELDT, hold the permit at least 14 days, then take a state-administered road test at one of five DMV test sites in a vehicle you supply. A New Hampshire CDL costs $60 and is valid 5 years.

New Hampshire runs its CDL program through the Department of Safety's Division of Motor Vehicles. The path is the standard federal one: hold a regular NH license, put a valid DOT medical card on file, pass the knowledge test(s) for a Commercial Driver Learner Permit, complete ELDT, hold the permit at least 14 days, then pass a road test. One NH detail to note up front — the DMV wants a valid medical card on file before it will even issue your learner permit.

State fees are modest: $20 for the learner permit and $60 for the CDL itself, with $10 per endorsement. The permit is valid 180 days and can be renewed once if your knowledge tests are still within a year. A New Hampshire CDL then lasts 5 years.

Unlike states that outsource skills testing, New Hampshire administers the road test itself at five DMV test sites (Concord, Durham, Lebanon, Nashua, and Twin Mountain), and you supply the vehicle. Hazmat applicants use a TSA/IdentoGO enrollment center for fingerprinting, since New Hampshire is not one of the TSA self-managed states. Veterans with recent heavy-vehicle experience can skip the skills test through the state's 'Troops to Trucks' military waiver.

Eligibility and documents in New Hampshire

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• Completed Commercial Driver License Application (DSMV 312)
• Current valid New Hampshire driver license
• Valid DOT medical certificate on file (unless exempt) — NH requires a valid medical card on file to issue the learner permit
• Proof of identity, lawful status, date of birth, and Social Security number (REAL ID standard) — eligible statuses are U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or H2A/H2B/E2 visa holder; non-citizens may need additional documents
• Appropriate fees
• Vision test (administered at the DMV)

How to get your CDL: step by step

1. Get your Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Pass the required knowledge tests: General Knowledge (all applicants); Combination Vehicles (Class A); Air Brakes (if your vehicle has them); Any endorsement tests you need (P, S, H, N, T).
2. Complete ELDT training. For a first Class A/B CDL or a first hazmat, passenger, or school-bus endorsement, you must train with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Your training provider reports completion to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, and NH DMV confirms that federal record before you can schedule the skills test. NH's CDL page directs applicants to the FMCSA registry for a list of certified trainers — there is no separate state ELDT portal. ELDT must be completed after you have the CLP but before the skills test can be scheduled. ELDT (in effect nationally since February 7, 2022) is required before scheduling the skills test. Drivers who held the relevant CDL or endorsement before February 7, 2022 are grandfathered.
3. Hold your permit 14 days. Federal rules require at least 14 days before the skills test.
4. Pass the skills test. It has 3 parts: Pre-trip vehicle inspection, Basic control skills (forward stop, straight-line backing, forward offset backing, reverse offset backing), On-road driving test. Road (skills) tests are administered by NH DMV. Schedule by calling (603) 227-4020 or at a DMV office. NH publishes five CDL road-test sites: Concord (23 Hazen Drive), Durham (UNH campus), Lebanon (I-89 Exit 19 weigh station), Nashua (110 Broad Street), and Twin Mountain (Route 302 DOT garage). No public state third-party skills-tester program was found — confirm with NH DMV if you need a private examiner.
5. Get your CDL issued. Pay the license fee, submit your medical self-certification, and receive your license (valid 5 years). A New Hampshire CDL is issued for a 5-year term. Upgrading class or adding an endorsement requires a new Commercial Driver Learner Permit ($20), the applicable knowledge and skills tests, the $10-per-endorsement fee, and ELDT for first-time Class A/B, B-to-A upgrades, or first-time H/P/S endorsements.

Medical certification in New Hampshire

Self-certify your operating category with NH DMV. Historically NH accepted the medical card and certification on form DSMV 612 (with a copy of your DOT medical card). Under the federal National Registry II rule effective June 23, 2025, certified medical examiners transmit exam results to the state electronically, so non-excepted drivers should no longer need to hand in the paper card — confirm the current submission method with NH DMV.

If your card lapses: NH requires a valid medical card on file to obtain the learner permit and to renew a CDL. If your medical certificate lapses and you are not in an excepted category, your CDL is downgraded to a non-commercial license. Keep your self-certification and medical exam current.

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 New Hampshire

NH state fees are low — roughly $80 for a new 5-year CDL, plus $10 per endorsement. The bigger costs are ELDT tuition and, for hazmat, the TSA/IdentoGO fingerprint fee (a federal TSA charge, not published by NH DMV — confirm current amount with TSA/IdentoGO). Budget separately for a DOT physical.

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in New Hampshire State-administered testing

New Hampshire administers CDL skills tests through the state; approved public third-party testing is limited or unavailable. NH DMV does not publish official wait times; availability depends on the test site and season. Book early, especially in the busier southern-NH offices.

Your test vehicle: Applicants supply a commercial vehicle representative of the class of CDL sought for the road test; NH DMV does not furnish a test vehicle. Confirm exact vehicle requirements when scheduling.

Endorsements available in New Hampshire

New Hampshire 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 — Hazmat requires the knowledge test plus a TSA Security Threat Assessment. New Hampshire is NOT a TSA self-managed state, so applicants complete fingerprinting/background check through a TSA/IdentoGO (Universal Enrollment) center — NH DMV states you must receive TSA fingerprint clearance before applying. First-timers also need ELDT theory training. $10 state endorsement fee.
• NTanker — Tank vehicles. On a learner permit you may only operate an empty tank vehicle that has been purged of any hazardous-material residue. $10 fee.
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined hazmat + tank. NH's fee schedule lists H and N separately at $10 each rather than a distinct X line — confirm how NH codes the combination.
• PPassenger — Passenger. Requires ELDT for first-timers. On a learner permit you may not carry passengers other than the accompanying CDL holder and authorized examiners/auditors. $10 fee.
• SSchool Bus — School bus. Requires ELDT for first-timers. On a learner permit you may not operate a school bus with passengers other than the accompanying CDL holder and authorized examiners/auditors. $10 fee.
• TDoubles/Triples — Double/triple trailers; knowledge test only (CDL, no separate skills test). $10 fee.

CDL disqualifications

Disqualifying offenses are set by federal law (49 CFR 383.51) and apply in every state — including offenses in your personal vehicle. New Hampshire applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 disqualification framework (major offenses, serious traffic violations, railroad-crossing and out-of-service violations), including the lifetime disqualification for using a commercial vehicle in a felony involving controlled substances. No material NH-only additions beyond the federal baseline were confirmed — verify state-specific provisions in RSA Title XXI (Chapters 263/265-A) with NH DMV.

Full federal detail: CDL disqualifications explained.

Military skills-test waiver

New Hampshire offers a Military Skills Test Waiver ('Troops to Trucks') using the Application for Military Test Waiver (DSMV 609) with a commanding officer's certification. You must be on active duty or a NH-resident veteran within 12 months of honorable discharge, trained on heavy vehicles, have no alcohol-related or major driving offenses on your civilian or military record in the prior 2 years, and still pass the required CDL knowledge exams. The waiver covers the skills test only; knowledge tests are not waived.

New Hampshire CDL FAQ