California CDL Manual and Test Resources

The California Commercial Driver Handbook is the primary study source for California CDL applicants. It explains commercial licensing, safe driving, air brakes, combination vehicles, endorsements, inspection procedures, basic control skills, and road-test expectations.

CDL Mastery can help you organize and practice the material, but the current California DMV handbook and official DMV instructions should remain your final authority.

Current non-domiciled CDL restriction California has temporarily paused issuing, reissuing, renewing, correcting, upgrading, transferring, or replacing non-domiciled commercial learner permits and commercial driver licenses for applicants with limited legal presence. Check the DMV for current eligibility rules before applying.

Official California Commercial Driver Handbook

California DMV publishes its Commercial Driver Handbook online and provides English and Spanish handbook versions, supplements, sample tests, and related truck-driver resources.

Read the California Commercial Driver Handbook online

Open California DMV handbook downloads

Open California DMV truck-driver resources

Major handbook sections

The handbook is organized around the core knowledge and skills needed for commercial licensing.

Introduction and California requirements: CDL classes, licensing rules, endorsements, restrictions, and disqualifications.
Driving Safely: inspections, vehicle control, speed, space, hazards, emergencies, railroad crossings, and difficult conditions.
Transporting Cargo Safely: weight, balance, securement, inspections, and cargo-related risks.
Transporting Passengers Safely: loading, unloading, emergency equipment, prohibited practices, and passenger safety.
Air Brakes: air-system components, pressure, warning devices, spring brakes, leakage checks, and safe braking.
Combination Vehicles: coupling, fifth wheels, trailer air lines, rollover prevention, off-tracking, inspections, and uncoupling.
Doubles and Triples: converter dollies, coupling order, handling, and inspections.
Tank Vehicles: surge, outage, vehicle control, and liquid-load safety.
Hazardous Materials: placards, shipping papers, loading, parking, security, and emergencies.
School Buses: loading zones, student safety, railroad crossings, inspections, and emergency procedures.
Skills-test preparation: vehicle inspection, basic control skills, and the road test.

California CDL classes

California issues Commercial Class A, B, and C licenses. The class depends on vehicle weight, trailer weight, passenger use, and hazardous-material transportation.

Commercial Class A: Covers qualifying combinations with a gross combination weight rating of at least 26,001 pounds when the towed vehicle exceeds 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Commercial Class B: Covers qualifying single vehicles over 26,000 pounds GVWR, certain vehicles towing no more than 10,000 pounds GVWR, and certain three-axle vehicles.
Commercial Class C: Covers certain Class C vehicles requiring HazMat, passenger, or tank-vehicle endorsements.

Review California CDL classes and certifications

California age requirements

California generally allows applicants age 18 or older to obtain commercial driving privileges for qualifying intrastate operation. Drivers must be at least 21 to operate in interstate commerce or transport hazardous materials or hazardous waste.

Intrastate versus interstate A driver between ages 18 and 20 may be limited to commercial operations entirely within California. Interstate and HazMat operations generally require age 21 or older.

Applying for a California commercial learner’s permit

Applicants who have never held a CDL, or who need a classification, endorsement, or restriction change requiring a skills test, must first obtain a commercial learner’s permit.

California requires the CLP to be held for at least 14 days before taking the applicable CDL skills test.

California DMV’s process generally includes:

Hold a California noncommercial Class C driver’s license.
Complete the online CDL application.
Visit a DMV office.
Submit a 10-year driving-history record form when another jurisdiction issued a license during that period.
Provide required identity and residency documents.
Provide medical-examination documents when required.
Pass the vision test.
Pass the required knowledge tests.
Pay the applicable fees.

Review California CDL and CLP application instructions

Start a California driver license application

California knowledge tests

The exact knowledge tests depend on the requested class, endorsements, and restrictions.

Possible tests include:

Commercial General Knowledge.
Air Brakes.
Combination Vehicles.
Passenger Transport.
School Bus.
Tank Vehicles.
Doubles and Triples.
Hazardous Materials.

California DMV also provides commercial sample tests that can help applicants become familiar with the style of knowledge-test questions.

Open California commercial sample knowledge tests

Entry-Level Driver Training

Federal Entry-Level Driver Training requirements apply to many first-time Class A or Class B applicants, Class B-to-Class A upgrades, and first-time HazMat, passenger, or school bus endorsement applicants.

When ELDT applies, the required training must be completed through a provider listed in the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before the applicable skills or HazMat knowledge test.

Search the FMCSA Training Provider Registry

California medical certification

Commercial applicants generally must submit a Medical Examination Report and Medical Examiner’s Certificate. The medical report is typically valid for up to two years, although a medical examiner may issue a shorter period.

Interstate drivers must use a medical examiner listed in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

Current electronic-submission issue California DMV launched National Registry II programming in May 2026 and then rolled it back after technical issues. Interstate drivers whose medical documents were expected to transmit electronically should review the DMV’s current instructions and may need to provide a paper copy.

Submit or review California CDL medical documents

Review California CDL medical eligibility

California CDL skills test

The California CDL skills test evaluates whether the applicant can inspect, control, and safely operate the representative commercial vehicle.

The test generally includes:

Vehicle inspection: identifying safety-critical components and explaining the condition being checked.
Basic control skills: demonstrating required low-speed maneuvers.
Road test: safely operating the vehicle in a variety of traffic situations.

California uses modernized CDL skills-test procedures at most commercial test sites. The specific model may depend on the location.

The road test is conducted in English. California DMV states that the applicant must complete the route without a critical driving error, accident, or moving violation.

Review California CDL skills-test information

Employer Testing Program

California’s Employer Testing Program allows approved commercial employers to administer CDL drive tests to qualifying employees instead of requiring every test through a DMV commercial test site.

Employers and examiners must meet California DMV certification and monitoring requirements.

Review the California Employer Testing Program

California HazMat endorsement

A hazardous materials endorsement requires additional state and federal steps beyond passing the knowledge test.

The process may include:

Required HazMat ELDT for first-time applicants.
Passing the California HazMat knowledge test.
Providing identity and lawful-status documentation.
Completing TSA fingerprinting and a security threat assessment.
Maintaining required medical and CDL eligibility.

Review California HazMat background-check requirements

Passenger and school bus requirements

Passenger and school bus privileges may require additional knowledge tests, CLP restrictions, skills testing, medical qualifications, training, certificates, background checks, and employer or education agency requirements.

Applicants should review both the Commercial Driver Handbook and the current DMV certification requirements for the vehicle they plan to operate.

How to study the California handbook

Choose your license class. Determine whether you need Commercial Class A, B, or C.
Identify required endorsements. List HazMat, Tank, Passenger, School Bus, or Doubles and Triples.
Study Driving Safely first. Build your foundation in inspections, hazards, speed, space, and emergencies.
Add Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles. Study these sections when they apply to your vehicle.
Add endorsement sections. Study each endorsement separately.
Practice by topic. Use questions to identify weak areas rather than memorize wording.
Return to the handbook after every mistake. Find the rule and understand the safety reason.
Prepare separately for the skills test. Practice inspection language, control maneuvers, and road-test habits in a representative vehicle.

Related CDL Mastery guides

Last checked: July 17, 2026 California CDL eligibility, forms, fees, handbook editions, medical procedures, testing locations, and skills-test procedures can change. Verify all requirements directly through California DMV before applying or testing.

Official California CDL resources

This page is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. It does not replace the current California Commercial Driver Handbook, official DMV instructions, instructor guidance, employer procedures, or applicable federal and state law.