Mississippi · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Mississippi CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Mississippi CDLs are issued by the Department of Public Safety's Driver Service Bureau under the federal FMCSA framework. Applicants pass the CDL written exam for a commercial learner's permit ($16, valid 6 months), complete ELDT from an FMCSA-registered provider, then pass a road skills test scheduled by phone with DPS (third-party testers also authorized). The CDL is a 5-year license costing $55, with endorsements $5 each and a $100 hazardous materials endorsement fee.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Mississippi?
Mississippi licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT since Feb 7, 2022 for first-time Class A/B skills tests, B-to-A upgrades, first-time P/S endorsements, and first-time H knowledge test; DOT medical card (valid up to 2 years) required; 21 federal minimum for interstate driving. DPS fee schedule lines (read directly): CDL Learner's Permit (valid 6 months) $16; CDL 5-year license $55; endorsements $5 each; Hazardous Materials $100; 3rd-party CDL trainer fingerprint $32; late renewal fee $1. Gaps: the DPS pages read do not publish a state minimum age for intrastate CDL issuance (the CDL manual K-restriction section confirms under-21 intrastate-only restriction exists), do not list a separate renewal-specific CDL fee line (the single 'CDL 5 year License $55.00' line is the issuance fee; renewal assumed same), and list no road-test fee. Endorsement exams: T/N/H knowledge only; P/S knowledge + skills; X combination.
What licenses does Mississippi issue?
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau 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 |
| Class D commercial (non-CDL light commercial) | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Mississippi require?
Commercial learner's permit written exam. Administered by DPS Driver Service Bureau.
CDL road skills performance test (pre-trip, basic control, on-road). Administered by DPS Driver Service Bureau CDL stations (scheduled by phone, 601-487-7028) or state-authorized third-party testers.
Source: examination page (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does a Mississippi CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Mississippi costs $71 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$16
- Initial license fee$55
- Renewal fee (recurring)$55
Source: fee schedule (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years
Continuing education: None for renewal. Hazmat endorsement requires TSA background check enrollment (DPS CDL Hazmat Enrollment Program) and carries a $100 fee per the DPS fee schedule.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Not applicable, no apprenticeship-hour credit toward the CDL; training is through FMCSA-registered ELDT providers. Military skills-test waiver available for qualifying experience.
How does Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | not published | Statewide |
| Alabama | not published | Statewide |
| Arkansas | not published | Statewide |
| Louisiana | not published | Statewide |
| Tennessee | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Driver Service Fees - MS DPS Driver Service Bureau
- New Commercial Driver License: Class A, B, and C - MS DPS Driver Service Bureau
- Ready to Schedule Your CDL Road Test? - MS DPS Driver Service Bureau
- Driver Information - MS DPS Motor Carrier Safety Division
- Mississippi CDL Manual (DPS, 2023)
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: Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada.
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 Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau before making decisions. Not legal advice.