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

Source review dated October 12, 2026 against Utah Driver License Division (DLD)

Utah issues CDLs through the Driver License Division (DLD), which is separate from the DMV. You hold a Class D license for a year, complete federal ELDT, pass the General Knowledge test for a Commercial Learner Permit, hold it 14 days, then pass a three-part skills test in a vehicle you supply — at a DLD office or a certified third-party tester. The $52 application fee covers your written tests, and a Utah CDL lasts 5 years.

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

Utah's fee structure bundles testing into the license: a $52 application fee covers your written tests, the skills test is $78 for two attempts, and endorsements are $9 each. A Utah CDL lasts 5 years and can't be renewed online. Some of the lowest-cost training in the country is at Utah's technical colleges (Davis, Southwest, Dixie), running roughly $1,850–$2,900.

Two current notes matter: Utah paused non-domiciled CDL issuance as of January 20, 2026, and three DLD offices (Farmington, Logan, Tooele) don't process CDLs. Utah's disqualification rules, codified in Utah Code 53-3-414, are in places stricter than the federal minimum.

Eligibility and documents in Utah

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• Your current Class D driver license (held for one year)
• Proof of identity
• Proof of Social Security number
• Proof of Utah residency/address
• A Medical Examiner's Certificate (submitted electronically by the examiner)
• Name-change documentation (marriage certificate, divorce decree, updated passport) if your names don't match across documents

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 Utah 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 Utah 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 Utah

Self-certify your category on Form CDL-42. Your Medical Examiner's Certificate (valid up to 24 months) should be transmitted electronically by your doctor; you can call the DLD at 801-965-4437 to confirm receipt. Self-certification can also be submitted by fax, email to [email protected], or mail. Under National Registry II, certified examiners transmit exam results electronically to FMCSA, which passes the data to the state.

If your card lapses: Keep your self-certification and medical certificate current; a lapsed card leads to a downgrade of your CDL. Confirm your medical status with the DLD if you don't see it reflected on your record.

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 (Utah only; carries the 'K' restriction)
• EA — Excepted Intrastate (Utah only; carries the 'K' restriction)

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

What a CDL costs in Utah

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 $52 application fee covers your written tests; the DLD skills test is $78 for two attempts. Endorsements are $9 each ($18 for the X combo and S). For hazmat, the DLD CDL page lists a background check cost of $80 to $110 (the TSA Security Threat Assessment fee is set by TSA — confirm the current amount with TSA/IdentoGO). Utah technical colleges (Davis, Southwest, Dixie) offer some of the lowest-cost programs in the country.

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in Utah

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

Utah allows approved third-party testers to administer the CDL skills test, with availability and fees set by the provider. The DLD provides online scheduling but publishes no specific wait-time figures.

Your test vehicle: You must bring your own registered, road-ready vehicle representative of the class you are seeking to the skills test — the DLD does not provide one.

Endorsements available in Utah

Utah 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 — Utah is NOT a TSA self-managed state. You file the TSA hazmat application online or by phone (855-347-8371) first, get fingerprinted at any TSA-contracted enrollment location (TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA / IdentoGO), then take the 30-question hazmat knowledge test at a DLD office once TSA clears you. Renewal applications must be filed no later than 45 days before license expiration; the Security Threat Assessment is renewed every 5 years.
• NTanker — Tank vehicle (20-question test).
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined hazmat + tank; listed at an $18 endorsement fee for the two written tests.
• PPassenger — Passenger; requires a 20-question test plus a driving skills test, and ELDT for first-timers.
• SSchool Bus — School bus; requires passenger + school-bus written tests plus a driving skills test, ELDT for first-timers, and the knowledge test again at renewal. Listed at an $18 endorsement fee.
• TDoubles/Triples — Doubles/triples (Class A only). Under-21 drivers cannot obtain H, P, or S endorsements.

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. Utah applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 framework and codifies disqualifications in Utah Code 53-3-414, in some cases stricter than the federal baseline: disqualification of at least 60 days for two serious traffic violations and at least 120 days for three or more within a three-year window (where at least one affects the non-CDL driving privilege). Utah's serious-violation list includes speeding 15+ mph over the limit, reckless driving, and using a wireless communication device while operating a CMV. Out-of-service violations carry civil penalties of at least $2,500 (first) and $5,000 (subsequent).

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 Utah-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.

Utah waives the driving skills test for qualifying service members through its 'Application for Even Exchange' (Form CDL-ST WVR). You need discharge papers showing an honorable discharge within the previous 90 days and documentation (DA348, AF2293, or equivalent) verifying CMV certification during the two years before discharge, and you must still pass all required written tests. The school bus (S) and doubles/triples (T) endorsements cannot be transferred under the waiver.

Utah CDL FAQ