New York · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
New York CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, New York CDLs are issued by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. Applicants must already hold a NY driver license, pay a $10 application fee covering the initial written tests, hold the commercial learner permit at least 14 days, complete ELDT, and pass a $40 road test in a representative vehicle; the license fee itself is set by statute at $9.50 per six months of validity. New York's Class A Young Adult Training Program lets 18-20 year-olds earn a Class A CDL (intrastate only) with ELDT plus supervised driving time.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in New York?
New York licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT required for first-time Class A/B CDLs and first-time H/P/S endorsements (NY DMV requires ELDT completion before the road test); DOT medical examiner's certificate must be kept on file with DMV; endorsements H/N/T/P/S/X with hazmat requiring the TSA threat assessment; 21 minimum for interstate driving, hazmat (H/X), and school bus.
What licenses does New York issue?
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner Permit (CLP) | not published | not published | Yes |
| 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 York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (dmv.ny.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does New York require?
CDL knowledge tests. Administered by NYS DMV offices (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian; hazmat test English only).
CDL road (skills) test. Administered by NYS DMV road test unit. Exam fee $40.
How much does a New York CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in New York costs $60 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$10
- Exam fee$40
- Initial license fee$9.5
- Renewal fee (recurring)$9.5
Source: fee schedule (dmv.ny.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Up to 8 years (NY DMV fee charts reference the 8-year driver license; the statutory CDL fee is prorated at $9.50 per six months)
Source: renewal requirements (dmv.ny.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship requirement; training is the federal performance-based ELDT course. The state's Class A Young Adult Training Program (ages 18-20) adds supervised driving time on top of ELDT but is a training pathway, not an apprenticeship credit toward the exams.
How does New York 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 York | not published | Statewide |
| Connecticut | not published | Statewide |
| Massachusetts | not published | Statewide |
| New Jersey | not published | Statewide |
| Pennsylvania | 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
- Get a Commercial Driver License (CDL) - NY DMV
- Commercial Driver License (CDL) - NY DMV
- Driver License and Learner Permit Fees and Refunds - NY DMV
- Renew a Driver License - NY DMV
- NY Vehicle & Traffic Law section 503 (license 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: North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio.
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 York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before making decisions. Not legal advice.