Oklahoma CDL Requirements

CDL Classes in Oklahoma

You must be at least 18 years old to operate a commercial motor vehicle within the state of Oklahoma (intrastate) and at least 21 years of age to drive a commercial motor vehicle outside the state of Oklahoma (interstate). You must also be at least 21 years old to transport materials that are deemed hazardous and to transport passengers using a commercial motor vehicle. You need an Oklahoma CDL in order to operate either commercial or non-commercial motor vehicles that fall into the following categories:

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Class A
Any combination of vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 26,001 pounds or more, provided that the gross vehicle weight rating of the towed vehicle is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

Class B
Any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 26,001 or more pounds, as well as any vehicle towing another vehicle that does not exceed a weight of 10,000 pounds.

Class C
Any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of less than 26,001 pounds that does not meet the criteria of either Class A or Class B, but is designed to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver), or is used in transporting materials classified as hazardous in the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. Each applicant must also have a passenger or hazardous materials endorsement in order to obtain a Class C commercial driver’s license.

Applying for an Oklahoma Commercial Learner’s Permit

You must already possess an Oklahoma commercial learner’s permit (CLP) before you can take the CDL Skills Test. Before applying for an Oklahoma commercial learner’s permit, you must already possess a valid Oklahoma Class D driver’s license. You will be issued an Oklahoma commercial driver’s license (CDL) when you pass both the written general knowledge test and the CDL Skills Test.

Oklahoma follows the federal FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards. If you are an entry-level driver, you must complete ELDT through a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. You can complete ELDT at any time before your skills test, but it is recommended to finish it before your written test, and it must be completed before the knowledge test for a Hazardous Materials endorsement.

In order to obtain an Oklahoma commercial learner’s permit, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old for intrastate driving (within the state of Oklahoma only).
• Be at least 21 years of age for interstate driving (outside the state of Oklahoma).
• Be at least 21 years of age to transport materials deemed hazardous.
• Be at least 21 years of age to transport passengers in a CMV.
• Possess a valid Oklahoma Class D driver’s license.
• Provide your current out-of-state driver’s license or I.D. card (if you are not currently licensed in the state of OK).
• Provide primary proof of identification (i.e., a certified birth certificate, U.S. passport, OK driver’s license, etc.).
• Provide proof of lawful presence (i.e., a U.S. passport, certificate of naturalization, or a valid unexpired I-551 card for lawful permanent residents).
• Provide proof of your current Oklahoma residency that shows your name and address (i.e., a utility bill, vehicle registration, insurance card).
• Provide your Social Security number (a physical card is not required).
• Self-certify the type of commercial driving you will be doing. If you self-certify as Non-Excepted Interstate, you must hold a current DOT Medical Card (Medical Examiner’s Certificate), which your certified medical examiner submits electronically to the FMCSA National Registry.
• Certify that your privilege to drive any motor vehicle is not currently suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified anywhere.
• Certify that you currently hold no more than one driver’s license.
• Pass the physical exam (must be administered by a FMCSA certified medical examiner) if medical certification is required for your self-certification category.
• Pass the vision exam (you must have at least 20/40 vision in each eye with or without glasses).
• Pass the color blindness test (you must be able to recognize green, red, and amber colors).
• Complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) through a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.
• Complete and sign the Commercial Driver’s License Application.
• Pass the CDL written knowledge test.
• Pay the $25 application fee (the fee is $15 for Class B & Class C).

If you have any questions about which documents to bring to your nearest Service Oklahoma Licensing Office when you apply for your commercial learner’s permit, you can either call your local Service Oklahoma Licensing Office, or you can speak to a customer service representative at Service Oklahoma by calling (405) 522-7000 (toll free (833) 306-0128) Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can also reach the CDL team by email at CDLSupport@service.ok.gov.

CDL Written Tests

The CDL written tests are administered at Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices. The vision test and written test are administered together at the same appointment, so there is no need to schedule a separate vision appointment. All commercial driver’s license applicants must pass the general knowledge written test in order to be eligible to receive a CDL.

The CDL general knowledge test consists of 50 questions. In order to receive a passing score, each applicant is required to answer at least 80% of the questions correctly in the time allotted for that test. All written tests require a score of at least 80% to pass. Any applicant that exceeds the time limit or incorrectly answers too many questions on the general knowledge test will fail.

Once you successfully pass the CDL general knowledge written test, Service Oklahoma will issue you a commercial learner’s permit so that you can practice operating a commercial motor vehicle. You may only operate a CMV under the supervision of a front seat passenger who is at least 21 years old and carries a valid CDL of the same class or greater than the class of vehicle you are operating. You must hold the commercial learner’s permit for at least 14 full days (not counting the day it is issued) before you are eligible to take the CDL Skills Test; the earliest you may test is the 15th day after it is issued.

The commercial learner’s permit will be valid for up to six months from the date it is issued. If you do not successfully pass the CDL Skills Test and obtain your commercial driver’s license before your commercial learner’s permit expires, you will be required to either renew the commercial learner’s permit or purchase a new commercial learner’s permit. You may also be required to retake the CDL general knowledge written test and the vision exam.

Over 60% of first time CDL applicants fail the written test! Be sure to buy the Complete CDL Practice Test Study Package, as it contains practice tests containing questions and answers specifically designed to help you pass the actual CDL written tests administered by the DMV. You may also want to buy the Complete CDL Cheat Sheet Study Package as it includes a collection of study guides with key information designed to help you rapidly learn all the sections of the CDL manual you must know in order to pass the CDL written exams.

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Why risk failing your CDL written exams on the first try? Get the Complete CDL Cheat Sheet Study Package and be fully prepared for your CDL written exams. Best of all, there’s a 100% Money Back Guarantee if you fail your CDL written exams!

 

Our Free CDL Practice Test will help prepare you for the actual CDL knowledge tests administered by the DMV.

Click here to see the map and clickable list of Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices that administer the CDL written tests.

Applying for an Oklahoma Commercial Driver’s License

In order to obtain a commercial driver’s license in the state of Oklahoma, you must:

• Possess a valid Oklahoma commercial learner’s permit (CLP) that you have held for at least 14 full days.
• Possess a valid Oklahoma Class D driver’s license.
• Have a valid DOT Medical Card on file if you self-certify as Non-Excepted Interstate (your certified medical examiner submits it electronically to the FMCSA National Registry).
• Provide proof of vehicle insurance and vehicle registration (must be verified before you can take the test).
• Provide a test vehicle of the same class as the CDL you are testing for.
• Provide a passenger that is 21 years of age or older with a valid Oklahoma CDL to ride with you in your test vehicle to the test location.
• Schedule your CDL Skills Test (drive test) appointment online through Service Oklahoma’s “Save Your Spot” scheduler, or test with an approved third-party examiner.
• Pass the CDL Skills Test.
• Pay the credential fee for your license: $56.50 for a 4-year Class A or Class B CDL, or $46.50 for a 4-year Class C CDL. An 8-year credential option is also available for $113.00 (Class A or B) or $93.00 (Class C).
• A $4.00 fee applies to each written or drive-test retake.

The CDL Skills Test

After you have held your commercial learner’s permit for at least 14 full days, you can schedule an appointment to take the CDL Skills Test (drive test). Appointments are scheduled online through Service Oklahoma’s “Save Your Spot” scheduler. You may also schedule with an approved third-party examiner, who can administer drive tests to most applicants applying for a Class A, B, or C commercial driver license (some restrictions may apply). A complete drive test usually takes about two hours.

The CDL Skills Test is a three part test that consists of a Pre-trip Inspection, a Basic Vehicle Controls Test, and an On-Road Driving Test. Service Oklahoma will not supply a vehicle for you to test in. You must bring your own test vehicle.

You will be required to take the test in the same class and type of motor vehicle you plan to drive once you obtain your CDL. If you take the CDL Skills Test in a commercial motor vehicle that is not equipped with air brakes, then you will have an air brakes restriction attached to your commercial driver’s license.

Oklahoma now administers the Modernized CDL Skills Test, so the vehicle inspection and basic control skills portions have been updated. Review chapter 12 of the Oklahoma CDL Driver Manual for the current maneuvers and standards.

• Pre-trip Inspection: Before you can take the CDL driving tests, you will first be tested on your knowledge of the class of vehicle you plan on driving once you obtain your CDL. The Pre-trip inspection also determines if your commercial vehicle is safe enough to drive on public roads. If you fail the Pre-trip Inspection, you will not be allowed to take the Road Skills Test.
• Basic Controls Test: Before you can take the Road Skills Test, you will first need to prove that you have the skills to operate a commercial motor vehicle on public roads. This test consists of various off-road backing maneuvers performed within a defined area.
• Road Skills Test: Once you pass the first two tests, you will be required to drive your commercial vehicle on public roads in various traffic situations. You will be required to operate the same class of commercial vehicle you plan to drive once you obtain your CDL.

The Basic Controls Test may include the following backing maneuvers:

• 90 degree alley docking
• Straight line backing
• Parallel parking (driver side)
• Parallel parking (conventional)
• Offset backing to the right
• Offset backing to the left

The Road Skills Test will be administered on a route predetermined by the examiner. The test route will most likely include the following:

• Starting
• Stopping
• Braking
• Turning
• Observing traffic signs
• Observing traffic signals
• Observing other traffic
• Using vehicle controls
• Maintaining proper lane positions
• Downgrades
• Downgrade stopping
• Upgrades
• Upgrade stopping
• Railroad crossings
• Bridge clearance
• Underpass clearance
• General observance of traffic laws
• General safe driving practices for trucks or buses

On the day of your CDL Skills Test appointment you must:

1. Arrive on time.
2. Bring your valid Oklahoma driver license and your commercial learner’s permit.
3. Bring your DL18 written test score sheet (issued when you applied).
4. Bring a passenger (age 21 or older) that is qualified to drive a CMV with the same class of CDL or greater than the test vehicle.
5. Bring a test vehicle that is the same class of license that you are testing for, along with valid insurance verification and vehicle registration.

Failure to do any of the above may result in an immediate cancellation of your CDL Skills Test appointment! Service Oklahoma advises applicants to schedule their drive test appointment a few weeks in advance and to arrive early for their test appointment.

There are three sections to the CDL drive test. If you pass one section but fail another, you will receive credit for the section you passed and will not have to retake it when you return for the failed section; a $4.00 retest fee applies. Test results are valid only for the duration of your commercial learner’s permit. If you decide to cancel your appointment, you should do so as far in advance as possible.

Service Oklahoma has the right to cancel any CDL Skills Test appointment due to bad weather, staffing, or any other unforeseen circumstances. Be sure to call your Service Oklahoma Licensing Office on the day of your drive test to confirm your appointment has not been canceled due to bad weather.

Be sure to download and study the Oklahoma Commercial Driver License Manual, as it contains pertinent information that will help you pass the CDL Skills Test.

Click here to see the map and clickable list of Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices that administer the CDL Skills Test.

Commercial Driver Self-Certification

In the state of Oklahoma, all commercial driver’s license holders must self-certify as to what type of driving they will be doing (intrastate or interstate), and whether they meet or exceed the medical and physical standards put forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to legally and safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. All CDL applicants must self-certify during the application process.

All commercial drivers who intend to operate a commercial motor vehicle for the following purposes only, do not require a commercial driver’s license and are considered “exempt” and therefore are waived from self-certification:

• Persons operating Special Purpose Commercial vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs. or less.
• Fire and emergency vehicles used to preserve life and property or to carry out governmental operations.
• Vehicles operated by non-civilian operators of military equipment.
• Recreational vehicles that are being used for personal recreational use only.
• Any farm vehicle used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies within 150 air-miles of the owner’s farm and not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier.

If you operate a commercial motor vehicle, you will choose one of the four self-certification categories below during your application. The category determines whether a DOT Medical Card is required for licensing:

• Non-Excepted Interstate (NI): You operate in interstate commerce and are required to maintain federal medical certification. This is the most common category, and a DOT Medical Card is required for licensing.
• Excepted Interstate (EI): You operate in interstate commerce but engage exclusively in operations that qualify you for exception from federal medical certification. A DOT Medical Card is not required for licensing.
• Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA): You operate only in intrastate commerce and must meet FMCSA driver qualification requirements. A DOT Medical Card is not required for licensing.
• Excepted Intrastate (EA): You operate a city, county, state, or federal vehicle only, and are exempt from the FMCSA driver qualification requirements. A DOT Medical Card is not required for licensing.

For Excepted Interstate, Non-Excepted Intrastate, and Excepted Intrastate drivers, a DOT Medical Card is not required for licensing, but may still be required while operating a commercial motor vehicle.

As of February 17, 2026, Service Oklahoma no longer accepts paper medical certificates. If your self-certification category requires a DOT Medical Card, your certified medical examiner submits your Medical Examiner’s Certificate electronically through the FMCSA National Registry, and the information is transmitted to Service Oklahoma to update your driver record.

If you have any questions regarding self-certification, you can speak to a customer service representative at Service Oklahoma by calling (405) 522-7000 (toll free (833) 306-0128), Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can also reach the CDL team by email at CDLSupport@service.ok.gov. For more information about the Medical Examiner’s Certificate, please continue reading below.

Medical Examination Report for Commercial Driver’s License

If your self-certification category requires medical certification, your USDOT medical examination must be performed by a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Qualified examiners include:

• Licensed U.S. doctor of medicine (M.D.)
• Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O)
• Licensed physician assistant (P.A.)
• Advanced practice registered nurse
• Chiropractor

A DOT Medical Card is generally valid for up to two years, though your examiner may certify you for a shorter period based on your health. You are responsible for knowing when your medical certificate expires and for completing your next examination before it does.

The FMCSA requires you to have at least 20/40 vision in each eye and a field of vision of at least 140 degrees (70 degrees in each eye) in order to be certified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Under certain conditions, you may be able to be waived from these and other medical requirements.

Because medical certification is now handled electronically, you do not mail, fax, or email your medical forms to Service Oklahoma. Instead, the process works as follows:

• Complete your USDOT physical with a medical examiner on the FMCSA National Registry.
• Your examiner electronically submits your Medical Examiner’s Certificate (Form MCSA-5876) to the FMCSA National Registry, by midnight of the day following your examination.
• The FMCSA transmits your certificate information to Service Oklahoma, which updates your commercial driver record.
• About 48 hours after your exam, confirm with your examiner that the certificate was submitted. You can also verify it is on file by logging in to your Navigate account and using the Medical Certification Inquiry.

Keep a copy of your Medical Examiner’s Certificate for your own records. If you are required to maintain a “certified” medical status and your certificate expires or is not received electronically, your status will change to “not certified” and your CDL or CLP may be downgraded if a new valid certificate is not received within 30 days of expiration.

If you have any questions regarding self-certification or medical certification, you can speak to a customer service representative at Service Oklahoma by calling (405) 522-7000 (toll free (833) 306-0128), Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can also reach the CDL team by email at CDLSupport@service.ok.gov.

Hazmat Endorsement

Any person that is applying for a Hazardous Materials CDL endorsement is required to undergo a federal background check and federal fingerprint check according to guidelines set by the Transportation Security Administration. All applicants must also provide the required documents to verify their identification and legal U.S. status. For more information, check out the Transportation Security Administration’s HazMat Endorsement information page.

You can apply for the security threat assessment on the TSA Hazardous Materials Endorsement Enrollment Website. You must begin applying at least 30 days before the expiration of your CDL. You can start the application process on the TSA HME enrollment website. To apply by phone call (855) 347-8371. Use the TSA Enrollment Center Locator to find the nearest TSA approved fingerprint office.

Military Drivers

The Military Skills Test Waiver allows service members and veterans who have safely operated heavy military vehicles to obtain a commercial driver’s license without taking the CDL Skills Test (drive test). This program is available in every state, including Oklahoma. You may qualify if you are currently licensed and are, or were within the past year (12 months), employed in a military position that required operating a motor vehicle equivalent to a commercial motor vehicle, and you have a 2 year safe driving record. You will still be required to pass the CDL written tests. Certain restrictions apply. Download, print, and complete the Application for Military Skills Test Waiver and submit it along with your standard CDL application to begin the process.

If you have any questions about the Application for Military Skills Test Waiver, you can either call your local Service Oklahoma Licensing Office, or you can speak to a customer service representative at Service Oklahoma by calling (405) 522-7000 (toll free (833) 306-0128) Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can also reach the CDL team by email at CDLSupport@service.ok.gov.

Oklahoma CDL Endorsements

H Placarded Hazmat Required to transport hazardous materials under DOT regulations.

N Tank Vehicles Required to transport liquids or gases in bulk tanks with an individual rated capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate rated capacity of 1,000 gallons or more.

X Tanker/Hazardous Materials Combination Required to transport hazardous materials in tank vehicles.

T Double/Triple Trailers Indicates CDL holder is certified to operate multiple trailer haulers.

P Passengers Indicates the CDL holder is certified to operate passenger vehicles.

S School Bus Indicates the CDL holder is authorized to operate a school bus.

Methods of Payment

Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices accept the following methods of payment:

• Cash
• Credit Cards
• Debit Cards
• Certified Cashier’s Check
• Money Orders

Important Oklahoma Commercial Driver’s License Resources

Complete CDL Practice Test Study Package
Complete CDL Cheat Sheet Study Package
Service Oklahoma CDL Drive Test Scheduler
Oklahoma CDL First-Time Applicant Guide
Application for Military Skills Test Waiver
Oklahoma CDL Medical Certification Requirements
FMCSA Commercial Driver Medical Certification Information
Oklahoma CDL Endorsements & Restrictions
National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners

 

Check out our list of truck driving schools in Oklahoma that will provide you with the necessary skills to obtain your commercial driver’s license and start your career in the exciting field of commercial truck driving! You may also want to check out our nationwide list of truck driving schools.

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Map of Service Oklahoma Licensing Offices

 

Some CDL testing locations require you to set up an appointment. CDL testing hours may vary. Please call the testing location for more information.

 

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