Illinois · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Illinois CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, The Illinois Secretary of State (Driver Services/CDL Division) issues CLPs and CDLs and administers all knowledge and skills testing at its own CDL facilities. A CLP costs $50 (valid 1 year, 14-day hold required) and the CDL is $60, renewable every 4 years ($50 at age 69+; +$5 if the license includes a motorcycle class). Illinois-specific quirks include mandatory full skills re-testing at renewal for drivers 75 and older and a $9 school bus driver permit layered on top of the CDL.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Illinois?
Illinois licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Fee detail: CDL renewal or out-of-state transfer $60 ($65 with motorcycle class; $50 at age 69+ per SOS fee table); CLP original or renewal $50; upgrade/endorsement-change CLP or CDL correction $5; school bus driver permit $9. CLP valid 1 year and requires a valid Illinois base license for the full period; only N, P, S endorsements allowed on a CLP; H/X endorsements require TSA clearance BEFORE any hazmat-related testing. Out-of-state CDL transfers with identical class/endorsements are exempt from written and skills tests (except hazmat, and except drivers 75+ who must test). Illinois-specific: skills re-test required at every renewal from age 75.
What licenses does Illinois issue?
The Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services Department - CDL Division 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.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services Department - CDL Division (ilsos.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Illinois require?
CDL written tests (General/Core Knowledge, Combination for Class A, Air Brake, endorsement tests). Administered by Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services facilities.
CDL skills and drive test (pre-trip, skills, road). Administered by Illinois Secretary of State CDL testing facilities (by appointment).
How much does an Illinois CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Illinois costs $110 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee and 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.
- Application fee$50
- Initial license fee$60
- Renewal fee (recurring)$60
Source: fee schedule (ilsos.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 4 years ('You must renew your CDL every 4 years prior to the expiration date')
Continuing education: None. Hazmat (H/X) endorsement holders must re-pass the hazmat written test and TSA security threat assessment at each renewal; non-excepted interstate drivers must keep their medical certificate current with the SOS. Drivers 75+ must re-take the complete skills and drive test to renew.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Not applicable, no apprenticeship-hour pathway. The SOS separately licenses Commercial Driver Training Schools; ELDT via FMCSA-registered providers is the training route.
How does Illinois 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.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | not published | Statewide |
| Indiana | not published | Statewide |
| Iowa | not published | Statewide |
| Kentucky | not published | Statewide |
| Missouri | not published | Statewide |
| Wisconsin | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) - Illinois Secretary of State (official page content read via Wayback Machine snapshot of 2026-03-18; ilsos.gov geo-blocked direct fetch)
- Driver Services Fees - Illinois Secretary of State (official fee table read via Wayback Machine snapshot of 2026-05-14: CDL renewal/transfer $60, $50 age 69+; CLP original/renewal $50; CDL/CLP upgrade or correction $5)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-118 (Fees) - Illinois General Assembly, incl. SPECIAL FEES FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE: CDL $60, renewal CDL $60, CLP $50, CLP for CDL holder $5, CDL duplicate/corrected $5, M or L endorsement $5
Last verified July 2026, independently re-verified before publication. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Kansas, Louisiana, Maine.
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 Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services Department - CDL Division before making decisions. Not legal advice.