Michigan Commercial Drivers license

Minimum Requirements to apply for a Michigan Commercial Driver’s License

You must complete these minimum requirements for your Michigan commercial driver’s license. Effective February 7, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has new minimum training standards for:

  • Class A or B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) for the first time
  • An upgrade of an existing CDL (e.g., Class B CDL holder seeking a Class A CDL)
  • A Hazardous Materials (H), Passenger (P), or School Bus (S) endorsement on a CDL for the first time

These new minimum training standards are called Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT). Drivers must complete the required ELDT from a training provider registered with FMCSA before being scheduled for CDL skills or knowledge tests to obtain one of the licenses or endorsements listed above. Click on the link to find information on ELDT training.

Once implemented, the FMCSA Training Provider Registry \will retain a record of CDL applicants who have completed the new training and certification process outlined in the ELDT regulations. A CLP may be issued before ELDT is completed. First-time hazardous applicants, including those applying for a Class A, B, or C CDL, must complete the hazardous portion of ELDT before a written knowledge test is administered at a branch office. Customers who received their Class A or B CLP before Feb. 7, 2022, are exempt from these regulations until the CLP is expired.

A CDL general knowledge test is required to be taken by all applicants. The Michigan CDL test consists of 50 questions. You must correctly answer at least 40 questions (80%) to pass. The general knowledge test covers the contents of the Michigan CDL Manual

For contact information for an ELDT provider, visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website.

Click the link for FMCSA Training Provider Registry.

CDL Endorsements available:

In addition to the appropriate CDL group designation, endorsements are required for the following:

  • T – Double or Triple Trailers – (Triple trailer combinations aren’t permitted in Michigan.)
  • P – Passenger – For vehicles designed to carry 16 or more people (including the driver)
  • N – Tank Vehicles – For vehicles designed to haul liquids or liquefied gases in bulk in permanently mounted tanks or portable tanks rated at 1,000 gallons or more
  • H – Hazardous Materials – To carry hazardous materials in amounts requiring placards
  • X – Appears on the license instead of the H and N codes when an applicant receives both the tank and hazardous materials endorsements
  • S – School Bus – For commercial motor vehicles used to transport pre-primary, primary, or secondary school students from home to school, school to home, or to and from school-sponsored events

How much does a Michigan Commercial Driver’s License cost?

  • $18 for a new photo license ($33 if you have an enhanced license)
  • $5 for each endorsement

Requirements to get an Enhanced Michigan Commercial License

Finally, If you want to be able to enter Canada or Mexico, you will need the enhanced version of the Michigan Commercial Driver’s License to click the highlighted link to see the additional requirements you need to get an enhanced license.