Frequently Asked Questions

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The ELDT regulations establish minimum training requirements for entry-level commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators in interstate and intrastate commerce who are applying for:

• A Class A or Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) for the first time;
• An upgrade of their CDL (e.g., a Class B CDL holder seeking a Class A CDL); or
• A hazardous materials (H), passenger (P), or school bus (S) endorsement for the first time.

The requirements do not apply to individuals holding a valid CDL or an H, P, or S endorsement issued prior to February 7, 2022. Individuals who obtained a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) before February 7, 2022 are not subject to ELDT requirements as long as they obtain a CDL before the expiration date of the CLP or renewed CLP.

Yes, if the driver is applying to obtain the S, P, or H endorsement for the first time, he or she must complete the entry-level driver training required for the endorsement. 

The ELDT requirements are aligned with the existing commercial driver’s license (CDL) regulations in 49 CFR § 383.3. The ELDT regulations do not create any new exceptions; therefore, any individual who is currently excepted from taking a skills test in order to obtain a Class A or Class B CDL or a passenger (P) or school bus (S) endorsement, is not subject to ELDT requirements. 

The regulations fulfill a statutory requirement imposed on FMCSA by Congress under Section 32304 of the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21). The ELDT regulations are intended to enhance the safety of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations on our Nation’s highways by establishing more uniform requirements for both behind-the-wheel (BTW) and theory training, thereby resulting in more qualified CMV drivers. 

Entry-level drivers may not take a CDL skills test to receive a Class A CDL, Class B CDL, passenger (P) endorsement, or school bus (S) endorsement unless the driver has successfully completed a mandatory theory (knowledge) and behind-the-wheel (BTW) training program. In the case of a hazardous materials (H) endorsement, the driver must complete mandatory theory training provided by a training provider listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry prior to taking the knowledge test for the H endorsement. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides the relevant driver-specific ELDT certification information to the SDLAs. This information includes the training provider’s unique ID number (assigned upon initial listing on the Training Provider Registry), the date the applicant completed applicable training, and the type of training the applicant received.