North Dakota · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
North Dakota CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, North Dakota CDLs are issued by the NDDOT Driver License Division. Applicants pass $5-per-attempt knowledge tests, purchase a $15 commercial learner permit (held at least 14 days), complete ELDT, and take a $5 road test; the CDL itself costs $15 and expires on the holder's birthday in the second subsequent odd/even year matching the birth year, an effectively 4-year cycle. Fees are among the lowest in the country, and endorsements cost $3 each.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in North Dakota?
North Dakota licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT required before the road test for new Class A/B applicants and first-time H/P/S endorsements; applicants must meet the 49 CFR 391 medical standards, and since April 21, 2025 medical examiner certificates must be uploaded electronically by nationally certified examiners; endorsements N/P/S/T/H with hazmat requiring TSA screening; airbrake (L/Z) restrictions avoided by testing in air-brake-equipped vehicles. Ages: 21 for interstate; 18-20 intrastate only; a restricted CDL for custom harvesting operations is available at 16, and a licensed 15-year-old may drive a farm vehicle within 150 miles of the farm under the farm exemption (not a CDL). Fee panel on official application SFN 6763 (4-2026): license or renewal Class A/B/C $15, knowledge test $5, duplicate $8, name/address duplicate $3.
What licenses does North Dakota issue?
The North Dakota Department of Transportation, Driver License Division 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 (Combination Vehicle) | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL (Heavy Straight Vehicle) | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL (Small Vehicle) | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: North Dakota Department of Transportation, Driver License Division (ndlegis.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does North Dakota require?
CDL knowledge test(s). Administered by NDDOT driver license sites.
CDL road test. Administered by NDDOT (scheduled after CLP held 14+ days). Exam fee $5.
How much does a North Dakota CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in North Dakota costs $20 in board fees, before any training. That is 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.
- Exam fee$5
- Initial license fee$15
- Renewal fee (recurring)$15
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Approximately 4 years, a commercial operator's license expires at midnight on the licensee's birthday in the second subsequent year ending in the same odd/even numeral as the birth year (NDCC 39-06-19(3)); noncommercial licenses run ~6 years
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship requirement; ELDT from an FMCSA-registered provider is required before the road test, with no state hour minimums. NDDOT lists approved commercial driver training schools but does not mandate school hours.
How does North Dakota 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 Dakota | not published | Statewide |
| Minnesota | not published | Statewide |
| Montana | not published | Statewide |
| South Dakota | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- How to Apply for a Commercial Driver License (CDL) - NDDOT
- Commercial Driver License (CDL) - NDDOT
- SFN 6763 - Application for North Dakota Driver License, Permit, or Identification (fee schedule)
- North Dakota Century Code chapter 39-06 (section 39-06-19, expiration/renewal)
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: Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.
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 Dakota Department of Transportation, Driver License Division before making decisions. Not legal advice.