| Commercial
Drivers License Information |
On October
26, 1986, United States Congress passed the Commercial Motor
Vehicle Safety Act. This law requires each state to meet
the same minimum standards for commercial driver licensing.
The standards require commercial motor vehicle drivers to
get a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
What
is the Commercial Driver's License Law?
New federal standards for testing and licensing heavy
truck and bus operators are now law in Kentucky. These minimum
standards will guarantee the fitness of commercial motor vehicle
operators by requiring demonstrated ability to drive heavy
vehicles before a license is issued. A new license, called
the Commercial Driver License (CDL), has replaced what was
known as a chauffeur license for many Kentucky drivers. The
CDL laws and standards cover drivers in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Mexico and Canada. Motor Carriers will
be held responsible if their drivers operate a commercial
motor vehicle without a valid CDL.
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Who
Needs a License? |
Class
A CDL -
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For
any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR
of the vehicle(s) being towed is more than 10,000 pounds.
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Class
B CDL -
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- Any
straight truck with two or more axles and a GVWR of 26,0001
pounds or more;
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Any
vehicle with two or more axles and a GVWR of 26,001 pounds
or more, pulling a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds
or less;
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A
single vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers
(including the driver) if the GVWR is 26,001 pounds or
more.
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Class
C CDL
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Any
vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds transporting
hazardous materials for which placarding is required;
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A single vehicle designed to transport
16 or more passengers (including the driver) if the GVWR
is less than 26,001 pounds.
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** Please note that if driving a commercial motor vehicle
between 10,001 - 26,000 pounds, you are required to carry
a medical examination certificate, even though you are not
required to carry a CDL license.
How
to apply
To make application for a CDL, you must provide a valid
D.O.T. medical certificate and complete an application at
your local Circuit Court Clerk's office. All applicants
will be required to successfully pass a knowledge test either
in written or oral form, and a vision test. A CDL instruction
permit will then be issued that is valid for six (6) months.
You may schedule a road skills test with Kentucky State
Police 10 days after the permit has been issued. A permit
may only be renewed once in the two (2) year period. If
you do not successfully pass the road skills test by the
expiration of your CDL instruction permit renewal, you will
need to reapply. All fees and written tests will be required
prior to a new permit being issued.
Skill
Test Fees for CDL Permits
Effective September 5, 2006 the new skill test fees for CDL
permits, as mandated by House Bill 707, was implemented. HB
707 directs that the skill test fees collected will be placed
in the Kentucky State Police CDL skill testing trust fund,
and will be used by the State Police to contract with and
train civilian CDL skills examiners and to improve the logistics
of the CDL skills testing process. It applies only to original
CDL permits and will not be levied against duplicate or renewal
permits.
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At
the time of issuance of a CDL permit requiring a skills
test, a driver who has held a Kentucky operator license
or permit for 30 days or longer will pay a skills testing
fee of fifty dollars ($50) in addition to the eleven dollar
($11) CDL permit fee.
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At
the time of issuance of a CDL permit requiring a skill
test to a driver who has held a Kentucky operator license
or permit for less than 30 days, a skill testing fee of
one hundred fifty dollars ($150) in addition to the $11
CDL will be collected.
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What's
on the Knowledge Test?
The Kentucky State Police will give the knowledge test at
the local exam stations. Please check with your local Circuit
Court Clerk regarding the days and times the examiner will
be available.
The
knowledge test consists of 50 questions covering a broad range
of subjects, including vehicle operations under all kinds
of conditions, cargo handling, and vehicle inspection.
Additional
knowledge must be shown in the following areas:
- Applicants
for Class A license - 20 questions on combination vehicles.
- Applicants
driving vehicles with air brakes - 25 questions on air brakes.
Endorsements
are required for the following vehicles:
- Double/triple
trailer - 20 questions
- Tanker
- 20 questions
- Passenger
transport - 20 questions
- Hazardous
materials hauling - 30 questions
For
each test, 80 percent of the questions must be answered correctly
to pass. Failure to show basic knowledge of an air brake system
will result in a license restriction limiting the driver to
operating a vehicle without an air brake system. Applicants
may take the basic knowledge test indefinitely without paying
retest fees. However, if the applicant fails, the applicant
must wait 24 hours prior to re-testing. Skills tests can be
taken indefinitely as long as the CDL instruction permit is
valid. The combination, airbrake, and endorsement tests require
a $5 re-test fee for each time taken after the initial failure.
Re-Testing
Applicants must re-test for the hazardous materials endorsement
at renewal of the CDL. If transferring into Kentucky and it
has been two (2) years since the last test, an applicant must
re-test in order to keep a hazardous material endorsement.
If a CDL driver surrenders his commercial driving privileges,
he has a year to return to the clerk's office and be re-issued
the CDL without re-testing. If the CDL is ever expired for
one (1) year or more, the written tests must be taken prior
to a new license being issued. An application fee will be
charged. If applying for a CDL reinstatement, and the commercial
privilege has been suspended for one (1) year or more, all
tests are required.
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What
does the road test cover?
Drivers will be required to take this test in the class of
vehicle they intend to drive. The test includes a pre-trip
inspection, off-road maneuvering, and on-road driving test.
The applicant will be required to furnish a vehicle for
testing.
After
the CDL permit is issued, applicants must wait 10 days before
contacting Kentucky State Police for a skills test appointment.
If you passed the written test for air brakes, you will need
to skills test in an air brake vehicle, otherwise, you will
receive a K restriction. A class C applicant will only be
required to take the on-road test portion of the skills testing.
Pre-trip
Inspection
Purpose: To see if you know the vehicle is safe to drive.
Test Procedure:
You may be asked to do a pre-trip inspection of your vehicle
or to explain to the examiner what you would inspect and why.
The examiner will mark on a scoring form each time that you
correctly inspect or explain.
A manual explaining
what you need to inspect is available through the Kentucky
State Police or the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Division
of Drivers Licensing.
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Basic
Control Skills Test
Purpose: To evaluate your basic skills in controlling the vehicle.
Setup:
The test setup consists of various exercises marked out by
lines, traffic cones, or something similar. The exercises
may include moving the vehicle forward, backward, and turning
maneuvers.
The
examiner will explain to you how each exercise is to be done.
You will be scored on how well you stay within the exercise
boundaries and how many pull-ups you make.
Road
Test
Purpose: To evaluate your ability to drive safely in a variety
of on-the-road situations.
Test
Procedures: The test drive is taken over a route specified
by the examiner. It may include left and right turns, intersections,
railway crossings, curves, up and down grades, rural or semi-rural
roads, city and multi-lane streets, and expressway driving.
You
will drive over the test route following instructions given
by the examiner. The examiner will score specific tasks such
as turns, merging into traffic, lane changes, and speed control,
at specific places along the route. The examiner will also
score whether you correctly do tasks such as signaling, searching
for hazards, controlling speed, and lane positioning.
What
does the CDL cost?
- CDL
application - $24
- CDL
instruction permit - $11
- Original
CDL - up to $40 (prorated fees according to current operator's
expiration)
- Renewal
CDL - $47
- Transfer
CDL - $60; with motorcycle - $70. Transfer CDL instruction
permit - $11
Upgrades
in class
- Class
B or C to A - application, permit and license fees, for
a total of $47
- Class
C to B - application, permit and license fees, for a total
of $47
Add
endorsements/drop restrictions
$5
for tanker, doubles/triples, and hazardous materials. The
new license will cost $12, for a total of $17.
The
following license actions will require an application fee,
CDL instruction permit fee, and a new license fee, for a total
of $47:
- Add
passenger endorsement;
- Drop
K restriction;
- Drop
L restriction;
- Drop
O restriction; and
- Drop
J restriction.
Motor
Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999
Wants
and Warrants check for all CDL drivers
Beginning
May 31, 2005, all applicants for a CDL (original and renewal)
will be required to undergo a "hot file" check conducted
by Kentucky State Police. more...
Kentucky
Security Threat Assessment
Kentucky drivers need to apply for the Kentucky Security
Threat Assessment at least 60 days prior to the expiration
date of their license by completing the Hazardous
Materials Endorsement Application - PDF format. More information
and phone numbers available on this page.
Hazmat Threat Assessment Program
The USA PATRIOT Act requires all drivers who transport hazardous
materials to undergo a security threat assessment. The Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) has developed a program
to implement this requirement, which will become fully operational
by January 31, 2005.
More...
Hazmat
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Hazmat Threat Assessment
Program.
Continued...
Division
of Motor Carriers Home Page
Division of
Driver Licensing Home Page
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