Who runs CDL licensing in Florida
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is the agency in charge of commercial driver's licenses in Florida. In practice you do everything in person at a driver license service center — most are run by county tax collectors, and some are state-run FLHSMV centers. CDL services are available at service centers across the state; FLHSMV publishes a locations page for every county. One important Florida detail: CDL knowledge tests can only be taken at a driver license issuance office — third-party organizations are not allowed to give them. The driving skills test, by contrast, can also be taken with an FLHSMV-certified third-party tester.
The Florida CDL path, step by step
Hold a Florida Class E license and meet the basics
You must already hold a regular Florida driver's license (Class E), be at least 18, pass the vision screening and be a Florida resident. Drivers under 21 are restricted to driving within Florida only (intrastate); interstate driving starts at 21 under federal rules. The residency paperwork is stricter than most people expect — see the section below.
Sort out the medical side: self-certify with FLHSMV
Every Florida CDL applicant self-certifies to FLHSMV in one of four categories — non-excepted or excepted, interstate or intrastate. In the two non-excepted categories you must have a current DOT Medical Examiner's Certificate (Med Card) on file with the state before your license is issued. Since June 2025, certified medical examiners transmit results to the state electronically. And note a Florida rule that catches people out: you can no longer claim an exemption simply because you are "not currently driving" — if your category requires a Med Card, you keep it current or downgrade.
Pass the knowledge tests at a driver license office and get your CLP
For a Class A license the tests are General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles and Air Brakes (if applicable), plus a test for each endorsement you want. Passing gets you the Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Federal law then requires a 14-day holding period before you may take the skills test — there is no exception, so schedule training with those two weeks in mind.
Complete ELDT training at a registered school
First-time Class A or B applicants (and several other cases) must complete Entry-Level Driver Training — theory scored at 80% or better plus behind-the-wheel training — with a provider listed in FMCSA's Training Provider Registry. A Florida-specific convenience: Florida lets you schedule your skills test before training is finished, but the training must be completed and verified before you actually take the test. How to check a school properly is covered in How to Choose a CDL School — and Not Get Scammed.
Pass the three-part skills test
The Florida skills test is the standard federal trio: Pre-trip Vehicle Inspection, Basic Vehicle Control and the On-road Test. You can take it at a driver license service center or with an FLHSMV-certified Third Party Administrator/Tester — many CDL schools test their own students this way. Third-party testers set their own testing fees; the state does not publish them.
Your Florida CDL is issued
With tests passed, training verified and medical on file, FLHSMV issues the CDL for the class and endorsements you earned. State fees are listed in the next section.
Florida residency paperwork: two separate requirements
For an original Florida CLP or CDL, FLHSMV asks for more than an address on a bill. You need both of the following, on top of your primary ID and proof of Social Security number:
- One domicile document proving Florida residency, from a specific state list — for example: a Florida Class E license or ID card held for more than six consecutive months; a lease in your name in place for more than six months; a residential mortgage or deed signed more than six months ago; a Florida voter registration card; a formal statement of domicile; or a homestead exemption filing.
- Two proofs of residential address in your name — two different documents. Note: CLP and CDL applicants may not use the state's Certification of Address form (HSMV-71120); that shortcut is closed for commercial licenses.
If you moved to Florida recently and your documents are younger than six months, check FLHSMV's "What to Bring" pages for your exact document set before you queue at a service center — a wasted trip costs a day.
What Florida charges: state fees
State fees are the small part of the bill, but they are exact — this is FLHSMV's official schedule:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Original or renewal Commercial Driver License | $75 |
| Endorsements | $7 each |
| Knowledge test retest | $10 |
| Skills test retest | $20 |
| Replacement license | $25 |
| Late renewal fee | $15 |
| Tax collector service fee (on credential transactions at tax collector offices) | $6.25 — waived for veterans |
The official schedule lists no separate fee for the CLP itself. Tuition is the real cost: private CDL schools in the U.S. generally charge about $3,000–$10,000 for a Class A program, with many full programs in the $4,000–$7,000 range — plus the DOT medical exam and, if you test with a third-party tester, that tester's own fee. The full national breakdown is in How Much Does CDL Training Cost?
Florida specifics worth knowing
- Free official handbook. FLHSMV publishes the Florida CDL Handbook free on its Handbooks & Manuals page — in English and in Spanish (the Spanish edition is study material; the exam is English-only, per the 2026 rule above).
- No triple trailers. Triple trailers are not allowed on Florida roads, which limits what the T (doubles/triples) endorsement can be used for inside the state.
- Military skills-test waiver. Qualifying service members and recent veterans can have the skills test waived with the state's certification form — but all knowledge and endorsement tests are still required, and the CDL must be issued within 120 days of separation.
- Moving to Florida with a CDL. An out-of-state or Canadian CDL transfers — except HazMat: the H endorsement never transfers and must be re-done in Florida, including the background check and tests.
- Expired Florida CDL. If your Florida CDL has been expired for a year or more, you start over: all applicable knowledge and skills exams again.
The nationwide sequence, timings and costs are in our step-by-step guide to getting a CDL.
Training in Florida? We will match you with a registered school
CDL Students USA connects future drivers with FMCSA-registered CDL schools in their area — including, where available, schools with instructors or support in your language. The service is free for students: tell us your Florida city and when you want to start, and a partner school will call you with its program, price and schedule. ¿Hablas español? Lee primero nuestra página en español — including what Florida's English-only exam rule means for you: Capacitación para la CDL en español →
Sources: FLHSMV — Commercial Driver License page; Driver License Fees schedule (flhsmv.gov/fees); press release of January 30, 2026 (English-only examinations from February 6, 2026); "What to Bring" residency and document pages; CDL Medical Information (self-certification categories); Handbooks & Manuals page. FMCSA — CLP holding period (49 CFR 383.25), Entry-Level Driver Training (49 CFR part 380). Florida fees and document rules can change — confirm on flhsmv.gov before you apply.
For CDL schools
CDL Students USA is an independent student referral and marketing partner. We deliver pre-screened applicants who are ready to train in your area — and you pay only for students who enroll and start. No upfront fees, no monthly retainers, no long-term contract.
Partnership inquiries: partners@cdlstudentsusa.com