Colorado · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026

Colorado CDL truck driver license requirements

Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Colorado?

Colorado licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.

Federal layer (applies in every state): ELDT required since Feb 2022 for new Class A/B applicants and P/S/H endorsements; DOT medical certificate from a National Registry examiner; endorsements H (TSA check), N, T, P, S, X. Colorado specifics: CLP fee $20.00 and CDL fee $35.00 per the fee schedule effective June 30, 2026 (up from $19.00/$17.50); CLP valid 1 year and NOT renewable, if it expires you retake all written tests; 14-calendar-day CLP holding period; skills testing is done only by approved third-party testers; DOT medical certificates are accepted only electronically via the FMCSA National Registry; knowledge test offered in English and Spanish (hazmat English only); valid out-of-state CDLs transfer without retesting (all endorsements except H and X transfer); issuance of non-domiciled CDLs/CLPs suspended since Sept 29, 2025 per FMCSA rules.

What licenses does Colorado issue?

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, Colorado Department of Revenue issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.

Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.

Source: Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, Colorado Department of Revenue (dmv.colorado.gov). Verified July 2026.

What exam does Colorado require?

CDL written knowledge test. Administered by Colorado DMV state driver license office (by appointment).

CDL skills (drive) test. Administered by Approved third-party testing facility.

How much does a Colorado CDL truck driver license cost?

Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Colorado costs $35 in board fees, before any training. That is the initial license fee charged once, with renewal charged separately below. No board publishes this total, so it is added up here from the schedule it does publish. An exam is required and its fee is not in that figure, because no amount for it appears in the board material this page is built from. Check the board's current fee schedule before budgeting.

• Initial license fee$35
• Renewal fee (recurring)$35

Source: fee schedule (dmv.colorado.gov). Verified July 2026.

How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?

Renewal period: 4 years

Continuing education: None required. Hazmat (H) endorsement renewal requires a current TSA security threat assessment on file plus re-taking the written hazmat test at a driver license office.

How does the apprenticeship route work?

No apprenticeship pathway; the mandated training route is federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) through an FMCSA-registered provider (performance-based, no state hour minimum). Colorado's Vets-2-Trucks program waives the driving skills test for current or recently discharged (within 1 year) military drivers (Form DR 2742); written exams still required.

How does Colorado compare to neighboring states?

Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.

Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.

Sources and verification

Other states with published requirements for this trade: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida.

Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to CDL truck drivers overview.

Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, Colorado Department of Revenue before making decisions. Not legal advice.