In California, commercial licenses are issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The sequence is fixed: get a standard California license, apply for a commercial learner's permit (CLP), pass the knowledge tests, complete entry-level driver training (ELDT), hold the permit for at least 14 days, then pass the skills test. This guide walks through each step using the DMV's own pages. Rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the DMV before you act.
Before you start: classes and age
The DMV describes three commercial classes. Class A covers combinations with a combined weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed vehicle is rated over 10,000 pounds. Class B covers single vehicles over 26,000 pounds GVWR, plus certain towing setups and certain three-axle vehicles. Class C covers vehicles that need a Hazardous Materials, Passenger or Tank-type endorsement to operate.
You must be at least 18 to apply. The DMV says drivers aged 18 to 20 may drive commercially only for loads that do not originate outside California; you must be 21 to drive in interstate commerce or to transport hazardous materials or wastes. You must already hold a California driver's license before you can get a CLP; the DMV accepts a temporary or interim license for this.
Step 1: Apply for the CLP
- Hold a standard California noncommercial Class C license.
- Complete the online CDL application on the DMV website.
- Go to a DMV office with the documents it requires. Per the DMV, that includes the medical examination report and certificate (forms MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876) and identity and residency documents as needed, plus form DL 939 if you have been licensed in another state in the last 10 years.
- Pay the nonrefundable application fee. The DMV page does not state the dollar amount, so check the DMV's current fee schedule rather than relying on a third party.
- Have your thumbprint scanned and your photo taken.
- Pass the required knowledge test or tests.
The application and fee are valid for 12 months. You get three attempts at each required knowledge test; if you fail the same test three times, the application is no longer valid and you have to reapply. The DMV also notes that knowledge tests are not given within 30 minutes of closing, so do not arrive late in the day.
What the CLP lets you do
The CLP is valid for a maximum of 180 days and can be renewed for another 180 days, provided the expiration date is no more than one year from your initial application date. While you hold it you must carry your valid California driver's license too, and you must be accompanied by a California CDL holder with the right class and endorsements. The DMV says a CLP is limited to the Tank (N), Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements.
Step 2: Entry-level driver training (ELDT)
Federal ELDT rules apply to first-time Class A or B applicants, to anyone upgrading from Class B to Class A, and to anyone adding the S, P or H endorsement. The DMV states there is no grace period. Training must come from a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry; the federal definitions of the instructor qualifications are in 49 CFR 380.605.
The DMV page adds California-specific detail: 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training, with at least 10 of those on a public road, and a theory portion that has no minimum number of hours but requires an 80 percent score on the assessment. The DMV also says to submit form DL 1236 through its Virtual Field Office. Ask any school you are considering whether it is on the registry and how it reports completion; our California school directory is built from FMCSA's registry, and the CDL tuition report shows which schools have published prices and which you will need to ask.
Step 3: Medical certification
The DMV states a medical exam is required every two years. Which rules apply depends on how you certify your type of driving under 49 CFR 383.71, with four options: non-excepted interstate, non-excepted intrastate, excepted interstate and excepted intrastate. California does not issue excepted licenses, according to the DMV. Choosing non-excepted intrastate adds a CDL intrastate-only restriction (40/K) to your card and record.
- Interstate drivers must use a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry. The DMV states that, effective July 27, 2026, interstate drivers cannot submit their own paperwork; the examiner must submit it electronically through the National Registry.
- Intrastate drivers may choose their own medical professional and can still submit paper forms in person, by mail or through the Virtual Field Office.
Step 4: The skills test
After you have held the CLP for at least 14 days, you can apply for the skills test. It requires an appointment and is offered at select locations. It has three parts, and the DMV says failing any part postpones all other testing:
- Vehicle inspection: you point to or touch critical safety features and explain each to the examiner.
- Basic controls: forward stop, straight-line backing, forward offset tracking and reverse offset tracking.
- Road test: given entirely in English. You must wear your seat belt, obey traffic laws and finish without a crash or moving violation.
You have three tries, and the DMV charges a retest fee each time. The page does not state the amount. You supply the vehicle, so confirm with the DMV that your training vehicle matches the class you are testing for.
Disqualifications and the Clearinghouse
Federal rules in 49 CFR 383.51 apply to California license holders. Under the table of major offenses, a first conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, or for refusing a required alcohol test, disqualifies you from driving a CMV for 1 year, or 3 years if you were hauling hazardous materials. A second conviction in a separate incident of any combination of the offenses in that table is a lifetime disqualification. The regulation counts convictions whether they happened in a CMV or a personal vehicle. A separate notice: the DMV cannot issue, renew, transfer or upgrade a CDL or CLP for anyone with a "prohibited" status in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, and commercial driving privileges stay removed until the return-to-duty process is complete.
Current restriction on non-domiciled applicants
The DMV states that, until further notice, it cannot issue, reissue or renew limited-term legal presence (non-domiciled) CDLs, and it has paused issuing non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs to applicants with limited legal presence. If that describes you, check the DMV page for the current status before paying for training.
Step-by-step checklist
- Confirm you meet the age rules and hold a California Class C license.
- Decide your commerce category and arrange the right medical exam.
- Submit the online CDL application and visit a DMV office with your documents and the application fee.
- Pass the knowledge tests (three attempts each) and receive the CLP.
- Complete ELDT with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, including the behind-the-wheel hours the DMV specifies.
- Wait at least 14 days from CLP issue, then schedule the skills test.
- Pass the vehicle inspection, basic controls and road test.
Choosing a school
A school is not required to get a CDL itself, but ELDT is, and most people train at a school. Browse the California hub, or start with a city: Los Angeles, Fresno or Sacramento. If cost is your main concern, see free and funded CDL training in Los Angeles, Fresno or Sacramento. We only show a price when a school has told us one, and everything else reads "Not published, call to confirm."
Compare FMCSA-registered CDL schools in California →
What schools actually charge: CDL School Tuition Report 2026.