2024 New York CDL Requirements Guide

The basic New York CDL requirements include a valid New York driver’s license and a clean driving record with no major violations.
Written by Jaya Anandjit
Edited by Jessica Barrett
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
If you want to get your CDL in
New York
, you must be at least 18 years old, hold a valid
New York State driver’s license
, and have a
clean driving record
with no violations. You must also pass a written knowledge test and take the CDL road test.
  • Drivers must complete a CDL knowledge test and a CDL road test to get a New York Commercial driver’s License.
  • CDLs are required to operate passenger vehicles made for 16 or more passengers, vehicles carrying hazardous material (Hazmat), single vehicles with a GVWR over 26,000 lbs, and combination vehicles with a GVWR over 26,000 lbs, towing a unit over 10,000 lbs.
  • Fees associated with CDL include a learner’s permit fee, a knowledge test fee, a road test fee, and a license fee.

What is required for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in New York? 

Before you head down to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to apply for a New York CDL, you’ll need to make sure you meet the following requirements:
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a valid New York State driver’s license
  • Have a clean driving record
  • Present the required identification documents
In most cases, minor traffic infractions won’t affect your ability to get a CDL—but major violations such as
driving under the influence
,
reckless driving
, or being the perpetrator of a
hit-and-run
could lead to a CDL disqualification. Depending on the severity of your offense(s) a disqualification could last anywhere from 10 years to a lifetime.
You’ll also need to know the type of vehicle (or vehicles) you’ll be driving since that determines which CDL class you need to get and whether or not you need an endorsement.

New York CDL classes

The three types of CDL you can get in New York are Class A, Class B, and Class C licenses. 
  • Class A: Allows you to drive a tractor-trailer weighing more than a combined 26,000 pounds in which the weight of the towed trailer exceeds 10,000 pounds. In most cases, driving any type of large tractor-trailer or semi-truck requires a Class A CDL.
  • Class B: Allows you to drive a bus or straight truck that weighs more than 26,000 pounds. You can not tow more than 10,000 pounds with this type of CDL. A Class B CDL usually covers vehicles such as smaller buses, delivery trucks, dump trucks, or garbage trucks. 
  • Class C: Allows you to transport up to 16 passengers or hazardous materials in a commercial vehicle that weighs no more than 26,000 pounds. If you want to drive a HAZMAT vehicle or passenger van (such as an airport shuttle) then you only need to apply for a Class C CDL. 

Endorsements

In addition to the appropriate class of commercial driver’s license, you often need to add specific CDL endorsements before you can operate certain commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). 
There are 10 endorsements available to New York CDL applicants, some of which may require additional criteria or tests: 
  • F: farm vehicles
  • H: transporting hazardous materials
  • M: metal coil vehicles
  • N: tank vehicles
  • P: passenger vehicles
  • R: recreation vehicles over 26,600 pounds
  • S: school bus
  • T: double/triple trailers
  • W: tow trucks
  • X: transporting hazardous materials in a tank vehicle

Minimum age requirement

The following age requirements are assigned to CDL licenses based on the location of operation: 
  • Intrastate: If you plan to get your CDL for intrastate commercial driving—driving within New York State lines—then you can apply at 18 years old. 
  • Interstate: If you want to be a long-haul trucker or do any other kind of commercial driving that involves crossing state lines, then you must be 21 years old.

Medical requirements

To get your New York CDL, you must first self-certify (declare) to the DMV which type of commercial driving you intend to do. You will then be asked to supply a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) proving that you:
  • Have at least 20/40 vision (distant visual acuity and distant binocular acuity) in each eye without corrective lenses
  • Have a field vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal meridian in both eyes
  • Can recognize the colors of standard traffic signals
  • Have blood pressure under 140/90
  • Do not have physical impairments that affect your ability to operate a commercial vehicle
  • Do not use controlled substances
  • Can perceive a forced whispered voice in the better ear from at least five feet away with or without a hearing aid OR
  • Does not have an average hearing loss in the better ear of more than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid
New York CDL drivers must provide self-certification to the New York State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA) that they will only operate within one of four CDL categories:
  • Interstate excepted: Do not have to meet the Federal DOT medical card requirements
  • Interstate non-excepted: Must meet the Federal DOT medical card requirements
  • Intrastate excepted: Do not have to meet New York State’s medical requirements
  • Intrastate non-excepted: Must meet the New York state medical requirements

New ELDT requirements

If you’re just beginning the process of applying for your New York CDL, you must follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations for
Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT)
New requirements went into effect in February of 2022 obliging all CDL applicants to complete a driver training course with a driving school listed in the
FMCSA registry
before applying for a CDL learner’s permit.

How to apply for a CDL in New York

As long as your license is valid and your driving record is clean, you can enroll in a driving training course through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be eligible to apply for a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) through your
local DMV office
.
When you apply for your commercial learner’s permit, you’ll be asked to prove your legal presence in the United States and report any states in which you held a driver’s license in the last 10 years. You’ll also need to present your medical examiner’s certificate and pay a $10.00 fee to take the written exam. 
To prepare for the CLP knowledge test, study the
New York State Commercial Driver’s Manual
.
Once you pass the written test and get your commercial learner’s permit, you’re allowed to practice driving a commercial vehicle in the state of New York, as long as you’re accompanied by someone with a valid CDL license. 
After holding your CLP for 14 days, you can pay the $40.00 fee to
schedule your CDL road test
. At your road test, your vehicle will need to pass a pre-trip inspection and then you’ll face a basic controls test and a road skills test. In the road skills test, you will be tested on driving maneuvers such as:
  • Straight line backing
  • Offset backing
  • Parallel parking
  • Alley docking
  • Lane changing and merging
  • Observing the right-of-way
  • Making turns
  • Using proper signals
  • Going around curves
  • Railroad crossings
For more details on the CDL skills test criteria, read
sections 11 to 13
of the New York State CDL Manual. If you fail your CDL road test, you’ll have to pay another $40.00 fee before you can schedule another one.
Drivers who pass the CDL driving test will be issued a temporary paper license valid for 60 days, and receive their photo CDL in the mail in approximately three to four weeks. 

Fees to get a CDL in New York

The fees to obtain a CDL in New York are as follows: 
  • Commercial learner’s permit application fee: $10
  • Other required tests following the application: $5
  • CDL road test: $40
  • CDL fee: $164.50 or $180.50 for Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District applicants
  • Endorsements: $5 each

How to get a CDL as a young driver in New York

As of May 14, 2022, drivers between 18 and 20 years of age are eligible for a Class A CDL as long as they meet the following requirements: 
  • Have a valid New York State Driver’s License
  • Complete the CDL A Young Adult Training Program, including the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) program
  • Complete at least 300 hours of supervised and controlled behind-the-wheel driving
Young drivers with a Class A CDL can operate a Class A vehicle while in New York only. As a safety precaution, young drivers are not eligible for a Hazmat (H) endorsement. 

New York CDL exemptions

You may not need to obtain a CDL in New York if any of the following apply to you:
  • You are an active military member who operates vehicles for military purposes
  • You are a qualifying farm worker
  • You are operating a recreational vehicle for non-commercial personal use
  • You operate an emergency vehicle such as a fire truck, police SWAT team vehicle, ambulance, or water transport truck for emergency or governmental reasons (restrictions apply)

New York CDL driver disqualifications

You may be disqualified from obtaining a CDL in New York if any of the following apply to you:
  • You’ve been convicted of a major offense such as a DUI/DWI, a hit-and-run, or using a vehicle to commit a felony
  • You’ve been convicted of a major traffic violation such as speeding excessively or reckless driving
  • You’ve been convicted of a railroad-highway grade crossing offense, such as failing to slow down at a railroad crossing where a train may be approached or failing to obey a traffic control device at a railroad crossing.

A New York CDL is valid for 5 years 

CDL holders will receive a card in the mail when it’s time to renew their license. Follow the instructions on the card. 
It’s important to note that in some cases, this process might be different than
renewing a standard New York driver’s license
. For example, you cannot typically renew a New York CDL online—you must renew it in person at a DMV office. 

FAQs

The fees to obtain a CDL in New York include the following: 
  • Commercial learner’s permit: $10
  • Other required tests following the application: $5
  • CDL road test: $40
  • CDL fee: $164.50 or $180.50 for Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District applicants
  • Endorsements: $5 each
Yes, you can take your NYS CDL permit test online. You will need to go in person to your local DMV office to complete your CDL application.
If you are a new resident of New York State, you will need to surrender your out-of-state CDL at a DMV office and apply for a NYS CDL. 
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