The cost of acquiring a commercial drivers license varies depending on the type of CDL training you go through. Below we provide rough estimates of CDL costs based on a number of different scenarios:
Scenario 1: You want to be a commercial truck driver and want to work for a large trucking company.
In this case you’ll no doubt be able to get your CDL completely free of charge by doing your training through an established trucking company. Many trucking companies have arrangements with CDL training schools and provided you agree to work for the trucking company for a period of time after completing your training, they’ll cover all the expenses involved with getting a commercial license and even pay you while you train.
Another benefit of doing your CDL training with an established trucking company is that they’ll often provide the trucks from you to train in and perform your on road test in.
Scenario 2: You don’t want to do your CDL training with a trucking company.
In this scenario the CDL cost will vary a little from state to state. As a general rule you can expect to pay the following:
- Medical Examination Fee – varies a lot from practitioner to practitioner.
- Application Fee – around $15 – $25
- Skills Test Fee – around $60 – $70 if you provide the vehicle
- License Fee – around $50
- Additional Endorsements – around $10 each
A CDL usually needs to be renewed every few years (varies from state to state). A typical renewal period is around 4-6 years and the renewal cost is around $50 – $100.
CDL Training schools that provide intensive training can cost upwards of several thousand dollar.
