How to Get a CDL in Tennessee: Permit, Training and Skills Test

Tennessee sits at the crossroads of I-40, I-24 and I-65, so it is no surprise that many people here want a commercial license. If you are asking how to get a CDL in Tennessee, the process breaks into six clear steps. This guide follows the one the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security publishes, and points out the places where applicants most often get stuck.

Tennessee CDL steps from start to finish

1. Confirm you qualifyYou must be at least 18, and drivers under 21 may operate only inside Tennessee.
2. Prove your statusApplicants show U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, and Tennessee does not issue non-domicile CDLs.
3. Pass the knowledge tests for a CLPTake them at a Full-Service Driver Services Center, starting with the general knowledge test.
4. Complete Entry-Level Driver TrainingAll new applicants must finish training through a registered training provider.
5. Schedule the skills testBook through a Driver Services Center or with a certified third-party tester.
6. Pass the pre-trip, basic control and road portionsThen you can move to your CDL.

Which Tennessee CDL class do you need?

The class follows the vehicle you will drive:

• Class A: a combination with a gross combined weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed trailer is 10,001 pounds or more.
• Class B: a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more, or one towing a trailer of 10,000 pounds or less.
• Class C: a vehicle or combination designed to carry more than 15 passengers including the driver, or one that transports hazardous materials.

A valid Class A, B or C CDL also lets you drive a Class D vehicle, so you do not need a separate regular license on top of it.

What are the Tennessee CLP and testing requirements?

Every applicant must pass vision, knowledge and skills tests. The knowledge exams start with general knowledge and may include combination vehicles, air brakes, tanker, multiple trailer, passenger and school bus tests. The learner's permit is issued after you pass the required knowledge exams, and only at a Full-Service Driver Services Center.

The state's CDL page does not list the permit's validity period or the waiting time before the skills test, so read the current CDL manual for those numbers and plan around them.

How do you schedule the Tennessee CDL skills test?

You can schedule through a Driver Services Center, or use a Certified CDL Third-Party Testing Organization. With a third party, you schedule directly with the organization. Those organizations may charge their own fees and may test only certain classes or endorsements, so ask which classes they cover before booking.

Before the road portion, you must complete a pre-trip vehicle inspection and demonstrate basic vehicle control. Treat the inspection as the first test within the test.

Ask the tester whether your training truck meets their requirements before the day of the test.

Tennessee CDL endorsements

• H (hazardous materials): for placarded loads. Requires a knowledge test and compliance with the Patriot Act, and it must be retested on renewal.
• N (tank): for tank vehicles with a rated capacity of 1,000 gallons or more.
• P (passenger): knowledge and skills tests.
• S (school bus): requires Form 2-C, or an equivalent from a private school, and 5 years of unrestricted driving experience.
• T (multiple trailers): Class A only, for doubles and triples.
• X: combines hazmat and tanker, such as a tractor-trailer hauling fuel.

School bus mechanics who never transport students do not need an S endorsement, but they must hold a Class B license with a P endorsement.

Tennessee CDL exemptions and the Code 24 farm restriction

You do not need a CDL for a motorhome, a military vehicle driven by a service member, firefighting equipment, an emergency snowplow during emergency snow removal, or a farm vehicle operated by a farm employee within Tennessee and within 150 miles of the farm.

A Code 24 restricted CDL covers employees of agri-chemical businesses, custom harvesters, farm retail outlets and livestock feeders. It limits you to 150 miles from the employer or farm being served, never outside Tennessee, and only on farm-related Class B and C service vehicles. It can be held for no more than 180 consecutive days in a 12-month period.

Common reasons Tennessee applicants get delayed

• Starting the skills test booking before ELDT is finished.
• Driving to a third-party tester without confirming they test your class.
• Applying for the S endorsement without the school system's experience verification.
• Showing up without proof of citizenship or lawful permanent resident status.

Fees, hours and steps can change, so confirm everything with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security before you go.