How to Get a CDL in New Jersey: The Full Step-by-Step Process

This is how to get a CDL in New Jersey, in the order you will actually do it. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) handles every step, and the process runs on appointments, receipts and a permit, so a little preparation saves you repeat trips.

Step 1: Check that you qualify for a New Jersey CDL

Before anything else, confirm that a CDL applies to your vehicle. You need one if the vehicle weighs 26,001 pounds or more, requires a hazardous materials placard, or carries passengers. A vehicle with air brakes that weighs less than 26,001 pounds does not need a CDL for that reason alone. Then check the basics:

• You are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• You are at least 18 and hold a basic New Jersey license (Class D).
• You have at least 20/40 vision in each eye, with or without glasses, and can recognize red, green and amber.
• You are physically fit for the job and can complete the CDL Holder Self-Certification form.

Drivers under 21 may drive only within New Jersey and must choose commerce category 3 or 4. They cannot get a hazmat or passenger endorsement.

Step 2: Gather your documents and get a test receipt

Make an appointment, bring six points of ID, and complete the Application for Commercial Driver License (form BA-208C). Six points of ID includes your Social Security card, proof of address and proof of legal presence in the U.S. You receive an examination test receipt, and you tell the MVC the vehicle type and endorsements you plan to use. Some farmers and other drivers are exempt from the CDL, so a quick check of the exemption list can save you the trip.

Step 3: Pass the New Jersey CDL knowledge test

The knowledge test is a 50-question general test with separate tests for each endorsement, and you must score at least 80 percent. It is taken on a computer by appointment at one of the state's Driver Testing Centers. It is offered in English or Spanish, but the hazmat test is English only. Interpreters are not permitted.

• Fail a test and you wait seven days to retake it.
• There is no limit on retakes, but if you have not passed within 180 days, you must renew your test receipt.
• Passing scores for the written, vision and road tests are valid for 360 days.

If you want a hazmat endorsement, complete entry-level driver training (ELDT) from a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before you take the knowledge test.

Step 4: Get your commercial learner permit and medical paperwork

After you pass, have the test receipt validated at a licensing center. Present it with the CDL Holder Self-Certification form and, if required, an electronic Medical Examiner's Certificate on file with the FMCSA National Registry. The CLP is valid for 180 days, and it is digital. The self-certification categories are:

1. Non-excepted interstate (requires a valid medical certificate on file).
2. Excepted interstate.
3. Non-excepted intrastate (requires a valid medical certificate on file).
4. Excepted intrastate.

Passenger endorsement holders need an electronic medical certificate on file whatever category they choose. Without the form and any needed medical paperwork, you will be denied a permit.

Step 5: Complete ELDT and practice with your CLP

First-time Class A or B applicants, first-time applicants for any endorsement, and drivers upgrading must complete ELDT before the skills test. You also must practice for 14 days with a CDL holder before the road test, unless that wait is waived. Practicing with your permit does not require the test receipt.

Step 6: Pass the New Jersey CDL skills test

You need an appointment, and the MVC does not supply a vehicle. Bring your test receipt, your CLP, a commercial vehicle appropriate for the license or endorsement, and a licensed driver qualified to operate that vehicle. The vehicle needs a current inspection sticker, valid registration, a valid insurance card (unless covered by other rules), legible GVWR placards and no cargo. A safety specialist rides along and scores three parts: the pre-trip inspection, basic skills and road skills.

• Test in an automatic-transmission vehicle and your license gets restriction code E, which bars manual transmission vehicles.
• After a failure, wait at least two weeks to retest. After several failures, the MVC may require a six-month wait.
• If you pass the pre-trip portion, you can bank those scores for one CLP cycle of 180 days.

Step 7: Receive your CDL and keep it current

After you pass, take your permit and authorization slip to a licensing center to get your license. A standard New Jersey CDL is valid for four years, and your first one is prorated to expire with your basic license. Renewal is in person. At renewal, submit your self-certification and medical certificate where needed. If a medical certificate expires or the self-certification is missing, the CDL is decertified and downgraded.

New Jersey CDL FAQ

Steps and requirements can change, so confirm the details with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission before you book your appointments.