North Carolina · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
North Carolina CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, North Carolina CDLs are issued by the NC Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV, part of NCDOT). Applicants pay a $51.50 CDL application fee (good for up to three knowledge-test attempts), hold a $25.50 commercial learner permit for at least 14 days, complete ELDT from a Training Provider Registry school, and pass the skills test; the CDL then costs $25.50 per year and is valid for five years. Minimum age is 18 for intrastate driving and 21 for interstate commerce or hazmat.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in North Carolina?
North Carolina licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT required for first-time Class A/B and first-time H/P/S endorsements; DOT medical certificate required for non-excepted operations, and since June 28, 2025 medical examiners must transmit results electronically through the FMCSA National Registry (NCDMV highlights this change); endorsements H/N/T/P/S with hazmat requiring TSA screening; 18 minimum intrastate, 21 for interstate commerce or hazmat (stated on the NCDMV commercial license page). NC specifics: the $51.50 application fee is charged per three knowledge-test attempts; CDL endorsements cost $5.00 per year each; CLP costs $25.50, must be held 14 days, and is valid 180 days with one renewal; replacement CDL $16.75; CDL duration is 5 years versus 8 years for regular licenses (G.S.
What licenses does North Carolina issue?
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV, N.C. Department of Transportation) 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 |
| Commercial Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Commercial Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Commercial Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV, N.C. Department of Transportation) (ncleg.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does North Carolina require?
CDL knowledge tests. Administered by NCDMV driver license offices.
CDL skills test (pre-trip inspection, basic control, road test). Administered by NCDMV.
How much does a North Carolina CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in North Carolina costs $77 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$51.5
- Initial license fee$25.5
- Renewal fee (recurring)set per license class
Source: fee schedule (ncdot.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years (G.S. 20-7(f): expires on the licensee's birthday in the fifth year; 3 years if the CDL carries P and S endorsements and the holder is certified to drive a school bus)
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship requirement; the required entry training is the federal performance-based ELDT course from a Training Provider Registry school (NCDMV notes the course takes about 4 weeks). Apprenticeship hours do not substitute for testing.
How does North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | not published | Statewide |
| Georgia | not published | Statewide |
| South Carolina | not published | Statewide |
| Tennessee | not published | Statewide |
| Virginia | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Official NCDMV: Commercial Driver License
- Official NCDMV: Licenses & Fees
- N.C. General Statute 20-7 (license classes, duration, 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 Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon.
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 North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV, N.C. Department of Transportation) before making decisions. Not legal advice.