Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL)
Please note:
Federal hazardous material requirements have been extended by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Individuals with a hazardous materials endorsement (HME) that expired March 1, 2020 or later have additional time to be fingerprinted to complete the background check required for TSA's security threat assessment. Individuals whose HME expired prior to March 1, 2020 are not granted additional time to meet TSA requirements. For more information, please visit the Federal Register.
All licenses, including CDLs, with an expiration date of March 1, 2020 or later will be extended during the state of emergency.
DMV will temporarily stop the process of downgrading CDLs due to expiring Medical Certifications until further notice. The downgrade process will resume after the state of emergency is lifted and normal processing may occur.
DMV and TSA continue to process hazardous material endorsement (HME) applications. Every effort is being made to maintain normal processing, but please understand that delays may occur.
Important information for stretch limo drivers
Per New York State Law, as of February 3, 2021, drivers of stretch limos (vehicles altered to carry 9 or more passengers including the driver) are required to have, at a minimum, a CDL class C license with a P endorsement, allowing them to carry passengers.
Learn about commercial learner permit and driver license changes.
See information about covered farm vehicles.
Get a CDL for the first time
A commercial driver license is required to operate large or heavy vehicles. This includes, but is not limited to, dump trucks, tractor trailers, buses, and stretch limos.
If you already have a CDL
You can
- Check driving privilege and Medical Certification status through MyDMV
- Check mailing status of your recently ordered CDL license or permit
- Renew your CDL
- Replace your CDL
Medical certification
Federal regulations require that every commercial driver certify to the type of commercial driving they perform.
- Medical certification requirements
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about medical certification
- CDL downgrades
Endorsements, restrictions and waivers
- Endorsement and restriction codes
- Hazardous material (hazmat) endorsement
- Hazmat (H) or hazmat/Tank (X) endorsement
- School bus driver (S) endorsement
- A3 restriction
- K restriction
- Medical variances and the new V restriction
- Military skills test waiver
Motor Carriers
- Carriers who employ bus drivers (Article 19A)
- International Registration Plan (IRP)
- One-stop Credentialing and Registration (OSCAR)
- Motor carrier safety enforcement (PRISM)
Resources
DMV
- Interstate or intrastate driving
- Excepted or non-excepted driving
- New commercial learner permit and driver license changes
- CDL, hazmat and tow truck manuals
- Carriers who employ bus drivers (Article 19A)
- Covered farm vehicles
- Escort driver certification
- Enhanced, REAL ID and Standard commercial license
Outside of DMV