Missouri · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Missouri CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Missouri CDLs are issued by the Department of Revenue while the Missouri State Highway Patrol administers all CDL written and skills tests ($25 each). A commercial learner's permit costs about $44 total ($25 written test + $10 permit + $9 processing); a first-time CDL runs about $83 ($25 skills test + $40 license transaction fee for a 3-to-6-year term + $18 processing). Minimum age is 18 (intrastate-only until 21); a CLP must be held 14 days before the skills test and ELDT is required for first-time Class A/B applicants.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Missouri?
Missouri licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT since Feb 7, 2022 (first-time Class A/B, upgrades, first-time H/P/S); DOT medical certificate and self-certification; 21 federal minimum for interstate. Missouri specifics: eligibility 18 years (intrastate-only until 21), 21 for interstate (Missouri CDL Manual, DOR); vision at least 20/40 in either or both eyes; written testing English-only with no translators; skills tests by appointment only at MSHP CDL sites. Fee chart from the Missouri CDL Manual: CDL license 3 years or less $20, 3 years and 1 day up to 6 years $40; CLP (360 days or less) $10; CDL written test $25; CDL skills test $25. Current DOR web page states office processing fees of $9 (1-year documents) and $18 (3-6 year documents); the manual's printed chart shows older $6/$12 processing fees, the web page amounts were used.
What licenses does Missouri issue?
The Missouri Department of Revenue, Driver License 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 |
Source: Missouri Department of Revenue, Driver License Bureau (dor.mo.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Missouri require?
CDL written (knowledge) tests - English only, no translators permitted. Administered by Missouri State Highway Patrol driver examination stations. Exam fee $25.
CDL skills test (by appointment only). Administered by Missouri State Highway Patrol CDL test sites. Exam fee $25.
How much does a Missouri CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Missouri costs $152 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee, the exam 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.
- Application fee$44
- Exam fee$25
- Initial license fee$83
- Renewal fee (recurring)$40
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Up to 6 years (license terms of 3 years or less, or 3 years and 1 day up to 6 years, per DOR fee chart); CDL with school bus endorsement for drivers over 70 issued 1 year at a time ($7.50)
Continuing education: None for renewal. Hazmat (H) endorsement: must be 21+, pass the hazmat written test at a Highway Patrol testing office at every renewal, and hold a current TSA security threat assessment (license not issued beyond the assessment date).
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Not applicable, no apprenticeship-hour credit; training via FMCSA-registered ELDT providers. Military skills test waiver (Form 5140) and MOS-based knowledge+skills waiver (Form 5800) available for qualifying military drivers.
How does Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | not published | Statewide |
| Arkansas | not published | Statewide |
| Illinois | not published | Statewide |
| Iowa | not published | Statewide |
| Kansas | not published | Statewide |
| Kentucky | not published | Statewide |
| Nebraska | not published | Statewide |
| Oklahoma | 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
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire.
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 Missouri Department of Revenue, Driver License Bureau before making decisions. Not legal advice.