Skip to content
OneTryPass
Free practice test

CDL learner’s permit · Texas

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

As of October 26, 2026, the Texas Department of Public Safety charges $25 for an original commercial learner permit, which expires 180 days after issuance, and another $25 to renew it.

A Texas commercial learner permit is valid for 180 days or until the holder’s Texas driver license expires, whichever is earlier, and can be renewed once, up to 30 days before expiration, without new knowledge exams.

The Texas Department of Public Safety offers all in-office driver license services, the commercial learner permit visit included, by appointment only (per dps.texas.gov, checked on Oct 26, 2026).

Updated Oct 26, 2026Rules checked against dps.texas.gov and tcss.legis.texas.govHow we check
Free CDL practice testCDL pack · $24.95

Texas CDL permit at a glance

CLP fee
$25source, Oct 26, 2026
CLP valid for
180 dayssource, Oct 26, 2026
CDL fee
$97source, Oct 26, 2026
Passing score
80%source, Oct 26, 2026

The official Texas CDL manual

The Texas Department of Public Safety’s CDL manual is the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook, form DL-7C, revised March 2026. Open it on dps.texas.gov source, Oct 26, 2026

Texas CDL questions people ask

How much does a commercial license cost in Texas?

The learner permit is $25 and lasts 180 days from issuance; renewing it costs another $25. The license itself is $97 for drivers aged 18 to 84 and runs eight years, or $61 for a five-year license that carries the hazardous materials endorsement.

Every one of those amounts already contains a $1 administrative fee, which DPS drops for transactions done by mail. Separately, state law sets a $60 charge for giving the skills test to someone who is not domiciled in Texas.

Sources: Driver License Fees · Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 522 (Texas Commercial Driver's License Act)

How long can you keep a Texas commercial learner permit?

It lasts 180 days, or less if your Texas driver license expires first. You get one renewal, available up to 30 days before the expiration date, and it does not require retaking the knowledge exams.

Wait at least 14 days with the permit before any skills exam. On public roads, the person beside you must be at least 21 and hold the same CDL class as the truck you are driving. The permit is not valid without your regular Texas license and cannot be used as identification.

Sources: How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License? · Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook (DL-7C, revised March 2026)

What should you expect on the Texas CDL knowledge exams?

Questions are multiple choice or matching, and each section needs 80% or better. The order is fixed: Texas Commercial Rules, General Knowledge, Combination for Class A, Air Brakes if applicable, then any endorsements.

All CDL knowledge exams have been English-only since June 1, 2026, and DPS says drivers who cannot show sufficient English during testing or issuance are not eligible for a CLP or CDL. A Spanish edition of the handbook is still posted for study.

Fail a test and your application stays open 90 days. Missing that window or failing three times voids it, and you start again with a new application and new fees.

Sources: Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook (DL-7C, revised March 2026) · How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License?

Who gives the CDL driving test in Texas, and what does it include?

DPS lists its CDL testing locations, and you book the skills test through the same appointment system used for other license services. You supply the truck or bus, and it has to match the class of your permit.

The test has three parts: vehicle inspection (pre-trip), basic vehicle control and a road test. All sites use the modernized AAMVA protocols except Del Rio and Wichita Falls, which keep their own sections in the handbook.

Companies and schools certified under the CDL Third Party Skills Testing program may also test their own students or employees for Class A, B and C.

Sources: How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License? · Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook (DL-7C, revised March 2026)

Who is eligible for a CDL in Texas?

Start with a Texas driver license. Add proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, identity and a Social Security number, plus a medical self-certification on form CDL-4, CDL-5 or CDL-10. State law sets the minimum age at 18, and the non-excepted interstate category on form CDL-4 requires age 21.

Non-domiciled permits and licenses restarted on June 1, 2026 for H-2A workers only. H-2B and E-2 holders are listed as pending FMCSA approval, and people whose lawful presence rests on an EAD, DACA, TPS or asylum or refugee status are currently ineligible.

Sources: How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License? · Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 522 (Texas Commercial Driver's License Act) · Commercial Driver License (CDL) Medical Certification Requirement · Non-Domicile Commercial Driver License (CDL) and Non-Domicile Commercial Learners Permit (CLP)

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 Texas CDL rule we checked

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

Fees
The Texas Department of Public Safety charges $25 for an original commercial learner permit, which expires 180 days after issuance, and another $25 to renew it. source, Oct 26, 2026
A new Texas commercial driver license costs $97 for applicants aged 18 to 84 and expires in eight years; the Department of Public Safety includes a $1 administrative fee in that amount. source, Oct 26, 2026
Where to take the tests
The Texas Department of Public Safety offers all in-office driver license services, the commercial learner permit visit included, by appointment only. source, Oct 26, 2026
State CDL manual
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s CDL manual is the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook, form DL-7C, revised March 2026. source, Oct 26, 2026
The Texas Department of Public Safety posts the commercial driver handbook online in English and Spanish, along with CDL instructional videos, for permit applicants. source, Oct 26, 2026
CLP rules in the state
A Texas commercial learner permit is valid for 180 days or until the holder’s Texas driver license expires, whichever is earlier, and can be renewed once, up to 30 days before expiration, without new knowledge exams. source, Oct 26, 2026
In Texas, a permit holder may practice on public roads only with a CDL holder aged 21 or older, licensed in the same class, sitting next to them. source, Oct 26, 2026
The Texas CDL handbook requires a commercial learner permit to be held at least 14 days before the skills test, for original applications, class upgrades and endorsements that need a skills test. source, Oct 26, 2026
Knowledge test in the state
Since June 1, 2026, the Texas Department of Public Safety no longer offers Spanish-language versions of the CDL knowledge tests. source, Oct 26, 2026
Texas CDL knowledge exams use multiple-choice and matching questions, require a score of 80% or higher on each section, and begin with Texas Commercial Rules, followed by General Knowledge. source, Oct 26, 2026
After a failed knowledge test in Texas, the CDL application stays active for 90 days and is voided when that window closes or after three failed attempts, whichever comes first. source, Oct 26, 2026
Skills test
The Texas Department of Public Safety uses the AAMVA CDL Skills Test Modernization protocols at every testing location except Del Rio and Wichita Falls. source, Oct 26, 2026
Under the Texas CDL Third Party Skills Testing program, companies and schools certified by the Department of Public Safety may give Class A, B and C knowledge and skills exams to their own students or employees. source, Oct 26, 2026
Who can apply
Texas Transportation Code section 522.027 bars the Department of Public Safety from issuing a CDL or a commercial learner permit to anyone younger than 18. source, Oct 26, 2026
To apply for a Texas commercial learner permit, a person must already hold a Texas driver license and prove U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, identity and a Social Security number. source, Oct 26, 2026
The Texas Department of Public Safety says FMCSA approved resuming non-domiciled CLP and CDL issuance on June 1, 2026, for applicants with H-2A temporary agricultural worker status. source, Oct 26, 2026

Practice for the CDL knowledge tests

The knowledge tests follow the same federal standards in Texas 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 Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas's CDL rules are free at dps.texas.gov.

Texas CDL FAQ

What happens at the Texas driver license office when you apply for a CLP?

Book an appointment first and fill out form CDL-1 before you arrive. At the counter you pay the application fee, give thumbprints, have your photo taken and pass a vision exam, then take the knowledge tests in the required order. Source: official pages "Driver License Services – Appointments" and "How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License?", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

How many attempts does one Texas CDL application fee cover?

Section 522.023(h) of the Transportation Code entitles an applicant who pays the fee to three examinations of each required element. After a third unsuccessful try, a new application and fee are needed. Source: official page "Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 522 (Texas Commercial Driver's License Act)", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Which part of the Texas handbook covers state-specific rules?

Section 14, Special Requirements for Texas Commercial Motor Vehicles. The DL-7C handbook asks applicants to pay close attention to it, calling it crucial information they will need to know. Source: official page "Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook (DL-7C, revised March 2026)", checked on Oct 26, 2026.

Is there a separate CDL practice test for Texas?

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 Texas and every other state; what changes in Texas 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 Texas Department of Public Safety?

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

Where this information comes from

Every Texas rule on this page comes from the Texas Department of Public Safety or Texas 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.