New Hampshire · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
New Hampshire CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, New Hampshire CDLs are issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles within the Department of Safety. An original or renewal CDL of any class costs $60, the Commercial Driver Learner Permit adds $20, and each endorsement adds $10; licenses run on New Hampshire's standard 5-year cycle. The minimum CDL age is 18 (21 for interstate under federal rules), and the CLP is valid 180 days with a state-specific requirement that the accompanying CDL holder be at least 25 years old.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT required for new CDL applicants before a skills test can be scheduled; DOT medical certificate; 14-day minimum between CLP issuance and road test; endorsements H (TSA fingerprint clearance), N, T, P, S at $10 each. NH specifics: CDL A/B/C each $60 original or renewal; CLP $20 in addition to the license fee, valid 180 days, renewable once if knowledge exams were passed within 1 year; the supervising passenger must be a CDL holder for the vehicle type who is at least 25 years old and seated adjacent (state add-on); CLP endorsement restrictions (no passengers, empty/purged tanks, no hazmat). Eligibility limited to US citizens, permanent residents, and H2A/H2B/E2 visa holders (state list). Out-of-state CDL transfers generally require no written tests except hazmat (fingerprints + hazmat knowledge test).
What licenses does New Hampshire issue?
The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Safety 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: New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Safety (gc.nh.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does New Hampshire require?
CDL knowledge examinations plus vision test (general, air brakes, endorsements as applicable). Administered by NH DMV (examination included in the $60 original CDL fee; re-exam within one year $20).
CDL skills test (vehicle inspection, basic controls, road test). Administered by NH DMV.
How much does a New Hampshire CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in New Hampshire costs $140 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$20
- Exam fee$60
- Initial license fee$60
- Renewal fee (recurring)$60
Source: fee schedule (dmv.nh.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years, all licenses expire on the fifth anniversary of the license holder's date of birth following issuance (RSA 263:10)
Continuing education: None for the base CDL. Hazmat endorsement renewal requires TSA fingerprint clearance plus re-passing the hazmat knowledge test; school bus certificate renewal requires proof of training/current roster plus the school bus knowledge test; a current medical card must be on file.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship is required or credited toward licensure; new applicants must complete federal ELDT from an FMCSA-approved provider before a skills test can be scheduled. Military members/veterans (within 12 months of discharge) with heavy-vehicle experience may obtain a skills-test waiver via form DSMV 609.
How does New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | not published | Statewide |
| Maine | not published | Statewide |
| Massachusetts | not published | Statewide |
| Vermont | 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 Licenses - NH Division of Motor Vehicles
- Licensing Fees - NH Division of Motor Vehicles
- Commercial Driver Learner Permit - NH Division of Motor Vehicles
- NH RSA Chapter 263 - Drivers' Licenses (263:10 expiration, 263:42 fees)
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: New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota.
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 New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Safety before making decisions. Not legal advice.