Texas · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Texas CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Texas CDLs are issued by the Department of Public Safety (Driver License Division) under the Texas Commercial Driver's License Act (Transportation Code ch. 522) and the federal FMCSA framework. DPS charges $97 for a CDL, valid eight years (it expires eight years after the applicant's next birthday); a CDL carrying a hazardous materials endorsement is $61 and runs on a shorter five-year cycle; and the commercial learner's permit is $25, expiring 180 days after issuance. These published prices are the statutory fees ($96, $60 and $24 under Transp.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Texas?
Texas licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Minimum age 18 (522.027); under-21 drivers receive an interstate restriction per 49 CFR Part 391 (522.043 restrictions). Other statutory fees: motorcycle authorization on CDL +$8; non-domiciled CDL/CLP $120 (temporary non-domiciled CDL $20); sex-offender-registrant licenses $20 CDL/$24 CLP with 1-2 year validity. Fees deposited to the Texas Mobility Fund. Federal layer: ELDT since Feb 7, 2022; DOT medical certificate; endorsements H (TSA check), N, T, P, S, X.
What licenses does Texas issue?
The Texas Department of Public Safety, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division (statutes.capitol.texas.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Texas require?
CDL knowledge tests. Administered by Texas DPS driver license offices.
CDL skills test (pre-trip, basic control, road). Administered by Texas DPS driver license offices.
How much does a Texas CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Texas costs $107 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$10
- Initial license fee$97
- Renewal fee (recurring)set per license class
Source: fee schedule (dps.texas.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 8 years for a standard CDL (an original expires eight years after the applicant's next birthday, Transp. Code 522.051(a); renewable in the year preceding expiration).
Continuing education: None. DOT medical certificate must be kept current; hazmat endorsement requires TSA security threat assessment each cycle.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Not applicable, CDL is exam-based. Federal ELDT from an FMCSA-registered provider is required for first-time Class A/B applicants and S/P/H endorsements; Texas sets no state training-hour minimums.
How does Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | not published | Statewide |
| Arkansas | not published | Statewide |
| Louisiana | not published | Statewide |
| New Mexico | not published | Statewide |
| Oklahoma | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Texas Transportation Code Chapter 522 (Texas Commercial Driver's License Act), incl. Secs. 522.027, 522.029, 522.051, 522.052 - Texas Legislature statutes site
- Texas DPS - Commercial Driver License section (agency landing page)
- Texas Transportation Code Chapter 522 - Secs. 522.027 (minimum age 18), 522.029 (FEES: $96 CDL, $10 duplicate, $10 class-change exam, +$8 motorcycle, $15 motorcycle exam, $24 CLP, $25 under 522.054, $120 non-domiciled, $60 non-domiciled skills test, $60 hazmat CDL), 522.051 (8-year CDL, 5-year hazmat CDL, 181-day CLP) - Texas Legislature statutes site, read from Wayback capture 20251216205152
- Driver License Fees - Texas DPS (CDL $97/8 years, hazmat CDL $61/5 years, age 85+ $26/2 years, CLP $25/180 days, replacement $11, non-domiciled $121; '$1 administrative fee is included in the following fee amounts... not charged for transactions conducted through the mail') - read from Wayback capture 20260716055134; dps.texas.gov TCP-times-out
Last verified July 2026, independently re-verified before publication. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington.
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 Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division before making decisions. Not legal advice.