You will need to get a Vermont commercial drivers license, or CDL, to drive professionally on state roads. This type of license allows you to operate a single commercial motor vehicle (CMV) with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of over 26,000 pounds, a combination of vehicles with a GVWR of over 26,000 pounds, a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people or a vehicle that plans to transport hazardous materials or toxins. Therefore, you will need to get a specific commercial license to drive, depending on the type of vehicle you plan to operate.

To get a CDL license, you must first obtain a commercial learners permit, or CLP, through the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). To do so, you must meet the CDL requirements, and pass the knowledge test. Once you have your permit for 14 days, you can take the road skills test. If you pass, you will be issue a license to drive commercially in Vermont.

CDL Requirements in Vermont

The first of the CDL requirements enforced by the state is that you hold a valid Vermont Class D driver’s license. Then, you must meet the following age requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age to get a CLP
• Be at least 18 years of age to obtain a CDL, and operate a CMV within Vermont (intrastate commerce)
• Be at least 21 years of age to operate a CMV between Vermont and another state (interstate commerce)

The CDL license requirements in VT ask that you then follow the designated steps enforced by the VT DMV. These include the below:

1. Submit your proof of age, identity and residency
2. Submit a completed Application for Commercial License/Permit
3. Pass a knowledge test
4. Hold a CLP for 14 days
5. Pass a driving test
6. Pass a vision test
7. Submit the required medical documents

In Vermont, you cannot drive a CMV if you are disqualified for any reason, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance in your CMV, refusing to undergo blood alcohol testing, committing a felony involving the use of a CMV or leaving the scene of an accident involving a CMV.

How to Apply for a CDL Permit in Vermont

You must get a CDL permit before you can obtain a full license to drive commercially in Vermont. A CLP allows you to gain behind-the-wheel driving experience on public roads to prepare for the skills test. However, the VT CDL permit rules state that you must be accompanied by a driver who holds a valid CDL for the type of vehicle you plan to operate, including any endorsements.

To get a CDL learners permit, you must provide your proof of age, citizenship or lawful permanent residency and your Social Security Number, or SSN. A CLP is valid for 180 days, and you must have a CLP for 14 days before you can take the road skills test to obtain a full CDL license.

CDL Written Test in Vermont

The CDL written test, or tests, that you need to take will depend on the class of license and endorsements you need. While every applicant must take the CDL general knowledge test, additional written tests that might be required include the:

• Air brakes test.
• Combination vehicles test.
• Hazardous materials test.
• Tank vehicle test.
• Doubles/triples test.
• School bus test.

To make an appointment for a CDL knowledge test in Vermont, call 802-828-2085, Monday through Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. – excluding holidays. Once you pass the necessary CDL exams, you will be issued a CLP. After 14 days, you can take your road skills test.

Vermont CDL Training Schools & Practice Tests

You can take a CDL practice test in Vermont by enrolling in a CDL training course, which will teach you how to operate commercial vehicles. Courses vary, depending on the type of CDL license you wish to obtain, but each course is designed to provide effective CDL prep to help you plan to take the CDL written and skills tests. Through a commercial vehicle training course, vehicles will be provided for you, in order to take the skills test.

If you choose not to enroll in a Vermont CDL school, you can obtain a copy of the Vermont Commercial Driver’s Manual through any DMV office, either online or in person.

How to Get a CDL License in Vermont

To apply for CDL credentials in VT, you must do so in person. If you do not schedule an appointment in advance, the DMV cannot guarantee you a same-day test.

When you show up to your skills test appointment, bring the required items along with you. These include the following:

• A completed CDL Application for Commercial License/Permit
• Your Class D Vermont driver’s license
• Proof of identity
  • A valid, unexpired U.S. Passport
  • A certified copy of a birth certificate
• Proof of legal presence, if applicable
  • A valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card
• Proof of Social Security Number (SSN)
  • An SSN Card or a W-2 form
• Proof of Vermont residency
  • Two pieces of mail with your name and current street address, such as a vehicle title or car registration, a bank statement or an insurance card
• A DOT Medical Card, if applicable
• A CDL Medical Certification form
• Payment for the license fee

During your appointment to get your CDL, you will also need to take a vision test.

CDL Driving Test in Vermont

You can take the CDL test in Vermont after you pass the required knowledge tests. However, you must first make an appointment for the skills test, and make the payment for the scheduling deposit fee, since “walk-in” appointments are not accepted.

On your commercial driving test, there are three types of general skills you must know in order to pass. These include:

• Vehicle inspection, which determines whether the vehicle is safe to drive.
• Basic vehicle control, which determines your skills to control the vehicle.
• On-road driving, which determines your skills to drive a vehicle in many traffic situations safely.

If you do not take these tests in the type of vehicle for which you wish to be licensed, you may have restrictions added to your CDL.

How to Get a CDL as a Military Member in Vermont

If you have a military CDL, you may be exempt from taking the road skills test. To qualify, you must have been employed within the last year in a military position that required you to operate a military motor vehicle that is equivalent to a CMV.

With a military waiver, you can apply for a CDL without taking the skills test. However, knowledge tests cannot be waived. To apply for this military waiver, you must complete the Application for Military Skills Test Waiver (form VL-054).

CDL Medical Exams in Vermont

There are new DOT physical requirements enforced for commercial drivers in Vermont. You must certify the following information with the state DMV if you plan to drive a CDL:

1. Whether you are engaged in interstate or intrastate driving
2. Whether you are subject to or exempt from the medical examination requirements

To self-certify, you must fill out and submit the CDL Medical Certification (Form VL-033).

If you are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSA), you must have a CDL physical every two years conducted by a nationally certified examiner.

Types of CDL Classes in Vermont

There are three kinds of CDL license classes in Vermont. These include the Class A CDL, the Class B CDL and the Class C CDL. Each is defined as:

• Class A license: Allows you to drive a combination of vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds while towing over 10,000 pounds.
• Class B license: Allows you to drive a single vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds while towing a vehicle that does not exceed 10,000 pounds.
• Class C license: Allows you to drive a single vehicle or combination of vehicles that do not fall into either Class A or Class B, but is designed to carry more than 16 people, including the driver, or material listed as a select agent or toxin.

Types of CDL Endorsements in Vermont

There are several types of CDL endorsements in Vermont available to commercial drivers. These include the following:

• T: Doubles/triples endorsement
• N: Tanker endorsement
• P: Passenger endorsement
• H: Hazmat endorsement
• X: Tank vehicle or hazardous material endorsement
• S: School bus endorsement

Interstate vs. Intrastate Commercial Drivers Licenses in Vermont

In Vermont, you will need an intrastate CDL when you are driving a CMV within the state of Vermont, only. However, you will need an interstate CDL when you drive from Vermont to another state, or to a foreign country.

Commercial Driving License Fees in Vermont

The CDL license cost and permit price in Vermont vary. The fees include the following:

CDL Fees:

• CLP: $15
• Two-year CDL:$60
• Four-year CDL:$90
• Duplicate CDL:$15

CDL Exam Fees:

• Road test scheduling deposit:$24
• Road test:$32
• Endorsement test:$14
• Knowledge test: $32

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