Endorsement and restriction changes

Per federal mandates, DMV has made changes to commercial endorsements and restrictions for commercial learner permit (CLP) and driver license (CDL) holders.

New CDL restrictions defined below by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) may affect CLP holders when taking a Skills Test in a vehicle without full airbrakes and/or a manual transmission.

  • E - No Manual Transmission Equipped CMV
  • L - No Airbrake Equipped CMV
  • Z - No Full Airbrake Equipped CMV restrictions.

If the vehicle used for your skills test has:

  • An automatic transmission, and you are applying for your first CDL, you will be given an E restriction.
  • No form of airbrakes, and you are applying for your first CDL, you will be given an L restriction.
  • Air over hydraulic brakes, and you are applying for your first CDL, you will be given a Z.
    • If you have a CDL with an L restriction and you test in a vehicle with air over hydraulic brakes, you will be upgraded from an L to a Z restriction.

 Also, please note that:

  • CLPs will no longer be issued with the Double / Triple Trailer (T) endorsement. The T endorsement can be issued only to a motorist holding a CDL.  
  • CLPs issued with a Passenger (P) or School Bus (S) endorsement will automatically get a new federally mandated "No Passengers in CMV Bus" (P) restriction. 
  • CLPs issued with a Tank Vehicles (N) endorsement will automatically get a federally mandated "No Cargo in CMV Tank Vehicle" (X) restriction.
  • The P and X restrictions are issued on the CLP only.  The CDL that is issued after all required tests have been passed will not have the P or X restrictions.

 

Restriction changes

There are 5 new restrictions, which required New York State to change the letter assigned to existing restrictions.  

CDL Restriction Changes
RestrictionOldNewChange
No Manual Transmission Equipped CMV-ENew
Outside Mirror-FNew
No Passengers in CMV Bus-PNew
No Cargo in CMV Tank Vehicle-XNew
No Full Air Brake Equipped CMV-ZNew
Automatic TransmissionEE1Re-Lettered
Hearing Aid / Full-View MirrorFF1Re-Lettered
Power BrakesPP1Re-Lettered
Full Hand ControlXX1Re-Lettered
Wheel SpinnerZZ1Re-Lettered
No Air Brakes Class A VehicleL1-Removed
No Air Brakes Class B VehicleL2-Removed

These restriction changes went into effect June 4, 2015. If applicable, your next CLP and/or CDL document any restrictions will have the letters printed on them. 

See a complete list of driver license endorsement and restriction codes.

 

For your convenience, many DMV PDF forms can be filled in online and then printed.