How to Get a CDL License Without Going to School: What ELDT Allows

If you are searching for how to get a CDL license without going to school, here is the honest answer: for most new truck and bus drivers you cannot skip training, but you can skip a traditional truck school. Since February 7, 2022, federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules require first-time Class A and Class B applicants to train with a provider listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Training Provider Registry. That provider can be an employer, a public agency or even an individual, not only a school.

Who has to complete ELDT?

FMCSA's Training Provider Registry (tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov) says the rule applies to people who get a commercial learner's permit on or after February 7, 2022 and are:

• First-time applicants for a Class A or Class B CDL.
• Class B CDL holders upgrading to Class A.
• First-time applicants for a school bus (S), passenger (P) or hazardous materials (H) endorsement.

The rules are not retroactive. If you were issued a CDL or an S, P or H endorsement before February 7, 2022, you do not need ELDT for that license or endorsement. Military personnel who meet the federal requirements in 49 CFR 383.77 are also excepted, as are people applying for a restricted CDL or to remove a restriction.

What about Class C?

A Class C CDL on its own is not on that list. If you only need Class C and no passenger, school bus or hazmat endorsement, the federal ELDT rule does not require you to train with a registered provider. Keep in mind that Class C is the class for vehicles built to carry 16 or more people or placarded hazardous materials, so a Class C job almost always needs a P or H endorsement, and that brings ELDT back in.

How to get a CDL license without going to school

The rule cares about who trains you, not what kind of building you train in. FMCSA's ELDT overview lists the kinds of entities that can be training providers once they register:

That opens several paths that are not a truck school:

• Company training: many carriers and bus operators train new hires and register as providers.
• Public employers: a city, county or school district that trains its own drivers.
• Split training: FMCSA says theory and behind-the-wheel training can come from separate registered providers. Theory can be delivered online.
• Union programs: a joint labor-management training program.

What ELDT actually requires

• Theory: there is no minimum number of hours, but you must score at least 80% overall on the theory assessment.
• Behind the wheel: there is no minimum number of hours. You finish when your instructor judges that you can do every required skill.
• Certification: your training provider submits your completion to FMCSA. Your state checks the registry before your skills test, or before the hazmat knowledge test.

How do I get a CDL? The usual order

Rules differ by state, but this is how to get a CDL license in most states:

1. Hold a regular driver license from your home state.
2. Self-certify your type of driving and, if you are non-excepted, get a DOT medical exam from an examiner on the FMCSA National Registry.
3. Study your state's CDL manual and pass the knowledge tests to get a commercial learner's permit.
4. Complete ELDT with a registered provider if your class or endorsement requires it.
5. Practice with your permit and a qualified CDL holder, and hold the permit for the waiting period. New Jersey and New York use 14 days, Pennsylvania 15.
6. Pass the skills test: vehicle inspection, basic control skills and a road test.

Is skipping school a good idea?

It can be. Employer training often costs you little or nothing, and you learn on the trucks you will drive. The trade-off is that some companies ask you to stay for a set time or repay costs if you leave early, so read the agreement. A school costs more up front but leaves you free to work anywhere. Either way, the same knowledge test, the same 80% theory standard and the same skills test apply.

Questions to ask a company training program

• Are you listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, and under what name?
• Do you provide both theory and behind-the-wheel training, or only one part?
• Which class and endorsements will I be trained for?
• Will I train and test in a manual or an automatic vehicle?
• How long must I work for you after I am licensed, and what happens if I leave early?
• Do you pay for the permit, the medical exam and the license fees?

Get the answers in writing. A good program will not mind the questions, and comparing two or three programs side by side is the fastest way to spot a bad deal. If a recruiter pushes you to sign the same day, take the paperwork home and read it first.