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CDL learner’s permit · Tennessee

Tennessee CDL permit test: fees, testing and the state manual

As of October 26, 2026, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security charges $14.00 for a Class A learner permit and $13.00 for a Class B or C learner permit, each total including a $6.00 application fee.

Tennessee commercial learner permits are valid for 365 days, and every knowledge and skills test passed becomes void if the permit is not converted to a CDL before it expires.

Tennessee requires the CDL general knowledge test and any other needed knowledge exams for the learner permit to be taken at a Full-Service Driver Services Center (per tn.gov, checked on Oct 26, 2026).

Updated Oct 26, 2026Rules checked against tn.govHow we check
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Tennessee CDL permit at a glance

CLP valid for
365 dayssource, Oct 26, 2026
Minimum age, in-state driving
18source, Oct 26, 2026

The official Tennessee CDL manual

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Commercial Driver License Manual contains the information applicants need to pass the commercial driver license knowledge tests. Open it on tn.gov source, Oct 26, 2026

Tennessee CDL questions people ask

What are the CDL fees in Tennessee?

Tennessee prices commercial credentials by the year plus a $6.00 application fee. A one-year learner permit totals $14.00 for Class A and $13.00 for Class B or C.

The eight-year license totals $70.00 for Class A and $62.00 for Class B or C. Endorsements are added to the base license: $8.50 each for tanker, passenger, hazmat and double/triple trailers, and $26.00 for school bus.

Certified third-party testers may charge their own skills test fee on top of what the state collects.

Sources: Driver License Fees · Commercial Driver License

Where and how do you take the CDL knowledge test in Tennessee?

Go to a Full-Service Driver Services Center. Everyone takes general knowledge; air brakes, combination, tanker, multiple trailer, passenger and school bus exams depend on the license and endorsements you want.

Some centers take knowledge test appointments; otherwise the manual suggests arriving early in the day. Allow at least an hour for general knowledge and 20 to 30 minutes per additional test. A paper test or having the computer read the questions in English may be available.

Failing is not a long setback: you may retake a knowledge test the next day, unless you were caught cheating.

Sources: Commercial Driver License · Driver Service Locations and Appointments · Tennessee Commercial Driver License Manual (PDF)

How do you schedule the CDL skills test in Tennessee?

State road tests run at Full-Service centers designated as CDL Skills Test Centers; call 615-502-4179 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Central. Bring your own vehicle, arrive an hour early and plan on about two hours. A no-show means waiting 45 days to rebook.

Certified CDL third-party testing organizations are booked directly. The state’s list includes TCAT campuses, county school systems and private driving schools, and shows which classes and endorsements each examiner can test.

Sources: Commercial Driver License · Driver Service Locations and Appointments · Tennessee Commercial Driver License Manual (PDF)

Who can get a CDL in Tennessee?

Applicants must be 18 or older, and drivers under 21 stay within Tennessee. New applicants must complete Entry-Level Driver Training with a registered provider.

Only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents qualify, and Tennessee does not issue non-domiciled CDLs. Starting January 1, 2026, a green-card holder receives a temporary CDL.

Bring originals issued within the last four months: proof of Social Security number, a Tennessee license or ID or a valid license from another state, two proofs of Tennessee residence, citizenship or permanent residence proof, and a DOT medical card.

Sources: Commercial Driver License · Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) · Required Documents to Apply for a CDL

Federal rules that apply here too

These come from the FMCSA and 49 CFR and are the same in every state. All federal CDL rules

Minimum age for a CLP
18source, Oct 26, 2026
Minimum age to drive interstate
21source, Oct 26, 2026
Days with a CLP before the skills test
14source, Oct 26, 2026
Passing score, each knowledge test
80%source, Oct 26, 2026

Every Tennessee CDL rule we checked

One line per rule, each from an official Tennessee page with the date we read it.

Fees
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security charges $14.00 for a Class A learner permit and $13.00 for a Class B or C learner permit, each total including a $6.00 application fee. source, Oct 26, 2026
An eight-year Tennessee commercial driver license totals $70.00 for Class A and $62.00 for Class B or C, application fee included. source, Oct 26, 2026
Where to take the tests
Tennessee requires the CDL general knowledge test and any other needed knowledge exams for the learner permit to be taken at a Full-Service Driver Services Center. source, Oct 26, 2026
Tennessee Driver Services takes appointments, knowledge tests included, only at select Driver Services Centers, and the appointment types vary by location. source, Oct 26, 2026
State CDL manual
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Commercial Driver License Manual contains the information applicants need to pass the commercial driver license knowledge tests. source, Oct 26, 2026
Besides the PDF on its CDL page, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security keeps printed copies of the Commercial Driver License Manual at all Driver Services Centers. source, Oct 26, 2026
CLP rules in the state
Tennessee commercial learner permits are valid for 365 days, and every knowledge and skills test passed becomes void if the permit is not converted to a CDL before it expires. source, Oct 26, 2026
A Tennessee permit holder can book a CDL skills test once the permit has been held at least 14 days and all required training is finished. source, Oct 26, 2026
Knowledge test in the state
The Tennessee CDL manual lets an applicant who fails a knowledge test retake it the next day, except someone caught cheating. source, Oct 26, 2026
Tennessee CDL applicants may be able to take the knowledge test on paper or have the computer read it to them in English. source, Oct 26, 2026
Skills test
To schedule a CDL road skills test at a state center, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security asks applicants to call 615-502-4179, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central. source, Oct 26, 2026
Certified CDL third-party testing organizations in Tennessee also give skills tests, scheduled directly with them, and they may charge additional fees. source, Oct 26, 2026
Missing a scheduled CDL skills test at a Tennessee Driver Services Center means a 45-day wait before the test can be rescheduled. source, Oct 26, 2026
Who can apply
Tennessee CDL applicants must be at least 18, and anyone under 21 is restricted to operating only within Tennessee. source, Oct 26, 2026
Tennessee issues CDLs only to applicants who prove U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, and it does not issue non-domiciled CDLs. source, Oct 26, 2026
Tennessee accepts only original CDL application documents, issued within the past four months, with no photocopies. source, Oct 26, 2026

Practice for the CDL knowledge tests

The knowledge tests follow the same federal standards in Tennessee and every other state, so the pack is the same everywhere. Try 30 questions free first.

One-time payment

CDL practice pack

$24.951 year of access · no subscription

  • Every question for the general knowledge, air brakes and combination tests
  • The hazmat, tank, doubles and triples, passenger and school bus endorsement tests
  • Practice tests scored at 80%, one part at a time, for a year

Refunds: Full refund within 7 days of purchase, no questions asked.

OneTryPass is not affiliated with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Tennessee's CDL rules are free at tn.gov.

Tennessee CDL FAQ

Does every Tennessee CDL holder file a self-certification?

Yes. Excepted or non-excepted, each holder submits a Self-Certification Affidavit when applying for a CDL, moving to a higher class, adding an endorsement, transferring from another state or renewing. It can be uploaded in e-Services or handed in at a Driver Services Center. Source: official page "Medical Certification Requirements", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Which proofs of residence does Tennessee reject for a CDL?

Bank statements, cell phone bills, credit card statements, employer letters, extended-stay hotel receipts, prescription bottles and personal or business postmarked mail are on the department’s not-approved list. Source: official page "Required Documents to Apply for a CDL", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

If the Tennessee manual and the website disagree, which one applies?

The website. The manual itself says the CDL Division, Driver Services and FMCSA websites carry the most current information and supersede what is printed in it. Source: official page "Tennessee Commercial Driver License Manual (PDF)", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Is there a separate CDL practice test for Tennessee?

No. Every state builds its CDL knowledge tests for each vehicle group and endorsement from the same FMCSA pre-approved pool of test questions (49 CFR 383.133). One OneTryPass CDL pack covers Tennessee and every other state; what changes in Tennessee is on this page: fees, where you test and the state manual. Source: official page "49 CFR 383.133, Test methods (eCFR)", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Is OneTryPass affiliated with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security?

No. OneTryPass is an independent practice site. Tennessee's CDL rules and manual are free on the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security website, linked on this page.

Where this information comes from

Every Tennessee rule on this page comes from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security or Tennessee law, read on the official site. OneTryPass writes each rule in plain English and records the date. A rule that passes its re-check date leaves this page on its own until it is read again.

How often each kind of rule is read again: fees, 90 days; where to take the tests, 120 days; state CDL manual, 180 days; CLP rules in the state, 180 days; knowledge test in the state, 120 days; skills test, 180 days; who can apply, 180 days.

Something wrong on this page? Tell us at [email protected] and include the link to the official page that changed. See how we check.