Find out what you need and how to take your CDL skills test.
Before you get started
You must wait 14 calendar days after we've issued your original or upgraded commercial learner's permit (CLP) before you can take the skills test. You can't take a skills test until:
- An approved training provider has completed your training AND entered your course completion.
- You’ve met all federal entry level driver training requirements.
You need to pass all three parts of the CDL skills test, in order, to get your commercial driver license:
- Vehicle inspection
- Basic controls (backing exercises)
- Road test
You must submit proof you’ve completed your state and federal training before we administer your skills test. If you take a skills test before finishing the required training, we might require you to retake all 3 components of the skills test.
When you must take a test
You must take a skills test when you:
- Get an original CDL.
- Upgrade your commercial license for a higher commercial class.
- Add endorsements that require a skills test, including a:
- Passenger endorsement.
- School bus endorsement.
- Tank vehicle endorsement (only if testing and/or training in tank vehicle) .
- Remove a restriction from your CDL, including the:
- Air brake restriction.
- No manual transmission restriction.
- No tractor-trailer restriction.
- Haven't had a CDL for 2 or more years. (If you haven’t had a CDL for 8 or more years, you’ll also need to meet all training requirements.)
If you need to renew because your license expired, you have up to 8 years to renew your CDL without having to test or show training requirements.
When you don't need to take a test
You don't need to take a skills test for the following endorsements:
- Tanker: If you're training and/or testing in a tank vehicle, you must have the tank endorsement on your commercial permit.
- Hazmat: If you held a hazmat endorsement before, you aren’t required to meet any training requirements if you can prove you had the endorsement. You need to take the knowledge test for this endorsement.
- Double/Triple trailers: There is no additional training or testing requirement. You only need to take the knowledge test for this endorsement.
Testing costs
The cost of the skills test varies depending on the type of vehicle and who you take your test with.
- Truck or passenger (excluding school bus) skills test taken with an independent third-party examiner (TPE) or DOL examiner: $175
- School bus test taken with Educational School District, DOL examiner, or TPE: $100
- You must use your CDL primarily to drive a school bus.
- Your test fee gets you 2 attempts. If you change examiners after your first attempt, you might have to pay the fee again.
A convenience fee will be charged if paying with a card.
1. Schedule your test
You'll test with one of our examiners or third-party examiner (TPE). We must authorize you to test with a TPE before they can schedule your test. If a skills examiner isn't assigned, call us at 360-902-3785 to confirm who you'll test with.
Testing with a DOL examiner
If testing with our examiner, contact us at 360-902-3785 to schedule your skills test.
You can pay over the phone using credit, debit, or pre-paid card — you can pay for multiple people in one transaction, if needed. A convenience fee will apply.
You can also pay by mail with the Commercial Driver License Skills Test Mail-In Payment form. Mail the completed form with a check, money order, or cashier's check. We don’t accept handwritten or incomplete forms.
After paying, please wait for an email confirmation, then contact us to schedule your test.
Note: Processing mail-in payments can take up to 3 weeks. If your payment method is declined, we'll invalidate your skills test and/or your CDL.
If paying for your own test
Complete the Commercial Driver License Skills Test Mail-In Payment form. If you are not working with a school or registered employer, you can leave that field blank.
If you're a registered training provider mailing in payment for a student(s) or employee(s)
Enter the school or business name you're approved or registered under or the registration ID# we issued to you.
Testing with a third-party examiner
If you’re testing with a TPE, contact them to schedule your test. You’ll pay the test fee directly through the TPE. You must schedule your test at least 3 days before you want to take it.
2. Take the test
Be on time and bring all the following to a CDL skills test location or you won't be able to take the test:
- Your valid WA driver license with commercial learner's permit (CLP)
- Proof of insurance
- The type of vehicle you have a CLP for
- An unloaded commercial vehicle
- Must be in safe operating condition and free of all hazardous material
- Proof that the vehicle is clean after transporting hazardous materials (if applicable)
- If borrowed: a letter from the vehicle's owner that authorizes its use for your test
- If applicable:
- State waiver
- Federal Skills Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate
- Federal medical exemption
Note: You must have a valid medical certificate on file with DOL. Check the status of your CLP and make sure your medical certificate is on file.
For passenger endorsement
Bring a bus designed to carry 16 or more passengers with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of:
- 26,001 lbs or more for a Class B CDL
- 26,000 lbs or less for a Class C CDL
For a school bus endorsement
Bring any school bus with a GVWR of:
- 26,001 lbs or more for a Class B CDL
- 26,000 lbs or less for a Class C CDL
If you pass the passenger and school bus knowledge tests
You can take a skills test in a school bus and receive both passenger and school bus endorsements.
If you have a Class C CDL with a passenger endorsement and you test for a school bus endorsement with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs or more, we'll upgrade you to a Class B CDL.
What to expect when you take the test
The test takes about 2 hours and includes 3 components, in this order:
- Vehicle inspection
- Basic controls test (backing exercises)
- Road test
Tips for test taking
- You can use the memory aid provided in the commercial driver’s guide.
- You must test in a vehicle without marks or labels on any components.
- The test is in English, and you may not use an interpreter.
- Be sure you have studied the CDL driver's guide. Sections 11, 12, and 13 focus on the skills test.
- You'll need to:
- Describe and provide criteria for inspection items.
- Describe and show the air supply system check.
- Back the vehicle through a pre-designated course.
- Safely operate the vehicle per criteria in the guide.
Dress accordingly. Our test sites don't have climate-controlled waiting areas. Be prepared to wait in your personal vehicle to avoid extreme weather conditions.
3. Get your CDL
You must wait 24 hours after passing all 3 components of the skills test before we can issue your CDL.
Skills test scores are valid for 180 days. We calculate the 180 days from when you passed the first component of the skills test.
Make an appointment to take the following to a driver licensing office:
- Your valid driver license
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, or non-domicile documents(see list of approved documents)
*Note: Licensing offices can’t process state waivers and the waivers must be submitted electronically to be processed. We need to add these CDL medical documents to your driver record before we issue your CDL. Learn more about CDL medical waivers, including how to submit them.
Note: If you have a federal exemption or SPE, these documents are sent to DOL, along with your medical certificate, from the National Registry. They must be on file before we can issue your CDL.
How to schedule a retest
If you don't pass all 3 components of the test, you will need to schedule a retest. You'll also need to pay any appropriate fees.
If you want to retest with one of our examiners, call 360-902-3785 (This number is only for scheduling and DOL skills test payments). You can schedule a retest with any examiner, unless it is a school bus second attempt. Contact us for your retest.
When you call, have the following ready:
- Your driver license number
- The site where you last tested
- The date you last tested
If you test and decide to change to a different examiner, a testing fee will apply. None of your previous scores will transfer and you'll also have to retake and pass all 3 parts of the test (This doesn't apply if you tested with us and change to a TPE).
If you don’t pass your first test, you’ll have to wait 3 days before you retest. If the vehicle has an equipment failure, there is no wait time and you do not need to pay for your next test attempt. If you passed the pre-trip inspection in a previous test, the vehicle must also pass a safety inspection when you retake the next segment.
Make sure your CLP is valid
If you don't pass all 3 components of the skills test before your commercial learner's permit (CLP) expires, you'll have to retake any passed components of the test.
If your permit will expire before an open test time, you'll need an appointment at a driver licensing office to renew. If you already renewed your CLP once, you'll need to retake the knowledge test(s) to get another original CLP issued.
