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

Source review dated July 20, 2026 against Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Texas issues CDLs through the Department of Public Safety (DPS) — there's no separate DMV. You hold a regular Texas license, get a Commercial Learner Permit for $25, hold it 14 days while completing ELDT, then pass a three-part skills test in a truck you supply, at a DPS office or a certified third-party tester. The 8-year CDL is $97 (or $61 for 5 years with hazmat).

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

Texas handles CDLs through the Department of Public Safety — there's no DMV here. The process is standard (regular license first, a $25 Commercial Learner Permit, a 14-day hold, ELDT, then a three-part skills test), but Texas has some distinctive rules: you must bring your own truck to the skills test, knowledge tests went English-only on June 1, 2026, and paper medical cards are being phased out entirely by April 10, 2026.

State fees are low — about $122 for a new 8-year CDL — with no separate per-test charge. The real costs are ELDT tuition (estimated at roughly $2,500–$8,000 for a private Class A program, less at community colleges) and, for hazmat, the TSA fingerprinting fee. A hazmat CDL is a few dollars cheaper but lasts only 5 years instead of 8.

Texas leans heavily on its certified third-party testing program, which is how many drivers avoid multi-week DPS office waits. Veterans with recent military driving experience can also skip the skills test — and sometimes the knowledge tests — through the state's 'Troops to Trucks' waivers.

Eligibility and documents in Texas

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence
• Acceptable identity document(s)
• Social Security number — a CLP or CDL cannot be issued without it (verified electronically)
• A valid Texas driver license (the CLP is invalid without it)
• Medical self-certification on form CDL-4 (interstate), CDL-5 (intrastate), or CDL-10 (exemption), plus a medical certificate if your category requires one
• New residents: Texas vehicle registration and proof of insurance for each vehicle owned (or a statement that you own none)

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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas

Self-certify your category at the DL office using form CDL-4, CDL-5, or CDL-10. Texas is on National Registry II: since June 23, 2025, certified medical examiners transmit your exam results electronically to DPS — you don't submit the card yourself. Effective April 10, 2026, DPS no longer accepts paper medical certificates at all. Check your status on the DPS License Eligibility app.

If your card lapses: DPS sends a courtesy notice about 60 days before your medical card expires. A lapsed card triggers a downgrade to a non-commercial license. If you're downgraded only for the expired card, you can usually be restored without retesting if your record is otherwise eligible, wasn't expired more than 2 years, the downgrade was within 12 months, and a valid card is on file.

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

• NI — Non-excepted Interstate (form CDL-4; medical card required; age 21+)
• EI — Excepted Interstate (form CDL-10; no card)
• NA — Non-excepted Intrastate (form CDL-5; card required)
• EA — Excepted Intrastate (form CDL-5)

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

What a CDL costs in Texas

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.

Texas charges no separate per-test fee — the $25 CLP covers knowledge testing and the $97 CDL covers the license. The bigger costs are ELDT tuition and, for hazmat, the TSA/IdentoGO fingerprint fee (not published by DPS — confirm with IdentoGO). A hazmat CDL costs less ($61) but lasts only 5 years.

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in Texas

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

Texas allows approved third-party testers to administer the CDL skills test, with availability and fees set by the provider. DPS slots in the big metros (DFW, Houston, San Antonio, Austin) commonly book 2–6 weeks out and longer in summer — a big reason Texas leans on third-party testers, which often offer faster or Saturday slots for a fee (estimated at roughly $150–$400).

Your test vehicle: You must supply your own commercial vehicle representative of the CLP class you hold; DPS does not provide a test vehicle.

Endorsements available in Texas

Texas 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 — Texas is a TSA self-managed state. You complete the hazmat application at a DPS office first (forms CDL-1 and CDL-6, proof of citizenship/permanent residence, ELDT for first-timers, and the hazmat knowledge test); DPS issues a service code, then fingerprinting/TSA screening is done through DPS's contracted vendor IdentoGO (not a generic TSA center). The endorsement expires the earlier of your CDL expiration or 5 years from TSA approval.
• NTanker — Available on a CDL or CLP.
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined hazmat + tank (CDL only).
• PPassenger — Available on a CDL or CLP.
• SSchool Bus — Requires ELDT and the passenger path; cannot be obtained via the military waiver. Adding it to an existing CDL needs a fresh 14-day CLP hold.
• TDoubles/Triples — Double/triple trailers (CDL 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. Texas applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 framework (mirrored in Texas Transportation Code §522.081). Two Texas-specific points: effective June 1, 2026, applicants who can't demonstrate sufficient English proficiency are not eligible for a Texas CDL/CLP, and Spanish-language knowledge tests were discontinued. The older Texas and federal vision-waiver programs have ended, replaced by the federal alternative vision standard.

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 Texas-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.

Texas offers both a Military Skills Test Waiver (form CDL-3A) and a combined Knowledge-and-Skills Waiver / 'Troops to Trucks' (form CDL-3B) for qualifying service members within 12 months of separation. It applies to an initial CDL only, and school bus (S) and passenger (P) endorsements cannot be transferred through the waiver.

Texas CDL FAQ