West Virginia CDL Practice Test

West Virginia CDL Resources

Here are more resources related to getting your CDL in West Virginia:

• Learn what is required for getting your CDL in West Virginia

  West Virginia CDL Requirements

• Download the West Virginia CDL manual for free right here.

  West Virginia CDL Manual

• Find Paid CDL Training In West Virginia

  Paid CDL Training In West Virginia

General Information

• A commercial driver's instruction permit (CDL instruction permit) may be issued to an applicant who holds a valid operator's or class D license who has passed the vision and/or physical standards, and knowledge tests required for issuance of a CDL.
• The holder of a CDL instruction permit may drive a commercial motor vehicle on the highway only when accompanied by the holder of a commercial driver's license valid for the type of vehicle who occupies a seat beside the individual for the purpose of giving instruction or testing. The permit must be valid for the type of vehicle being driven also.
• Upon completion of all tests, the person will receive a CDL instruction permit. When operating a commercial vehicle you must have your CDL instruction permit and regular operator's license.
• School bus drivers or applicants who work for a city, state, or federal government agency, in which a CDL is required for their employment, are considered operating in EXCEPTED INTRASTATE or EXCEPTED INTERSTATE and are exempt from meeting the FMCSA requirements. School bus drivers will be required to present their current School Bus Certification card. Applicants who work for a city, county, state, or federal government agency must provide written verification, on agency letterhead, verifying employment with their city, state, or federal government agency.
• Applicant Record Check Before issuing a CDL or CLP, the Commissioner must obtain a driving record through the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), the National Driver Register (NDR), the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS), and from each state or jurisdiction in which the person has been licensed. In the event a driver is found to be under license suspension, revocation, disqualification, or cancellation at the time of the record check, DMV will not issue a driver’s license until the driver has been reinstated by that state or jurisdiction, CDLIS, PDPS and NDR.
• Applications and study manuals are available at any DMV Exam Centers, Regional Office, or on the Forms page of the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Requirements to Obtain a West Virginia Commercial Learner's Permit

• You must be at least 18 years of age and have at least 2 years driving experience to qualify for a CDL or CDL instruction permit. Federal Motor Carrier Rules requires that drivers subject to those rules meet specific physical qualification standards and carry evidence of such qualification in the form of a medical certificate.
• Submit the application, a copy of your current DOT Medical/physical certification (Long Form Physical), DOT Medical card or for city, state, or federal government agency employees a verification of employment on agency letterhead, and required fees to DMV, PO Box 17010, Charleston WV 25317 or deliver in person at the DMV Driver Services window, adjacent to the Kanawha City Regional Office, at 5707 MacCorkle Ave, SE in Kanawha City (Charleston) WV. Upon receipt of the application and fees, a test card will be mailed to the applicant which will include the regional CDL testing sites. Once all tests are successfully completed a CDL instruction permit will be issued.
• Submit documents showing proof of identificaiton, social security number and residency. (See more information below.)
• Applicants must hold a CDL instruction permit for a minimum of 14 days before they are eligible to take the road skills test. Applicants whom are ready to take the road skills test must contact a Third-Party Examiner to schedule an appointment.

What are West Virginia's Identification/Residency Requirements to apply for a Commercial Learner's Permit?

New Applicants are required to provide one proof of identity, one proof of Social Security number, two proofs of WV residency with name and physical address, and proof of legal name change document(s) if your name has changed or is different than the provided proof of identity document. For more information on acceptable documents and requirements, go to the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website.

• Identity Documents Accepted
  • An original or certified copy of a United States-issued birth certificate (U.S. Department of State and U.S. Military birth certificates ARE acceptable, hospital birth certificates and Bureau of Census records are NOT acceptable)
  • Valid, unexpired U.S. Passport or official U.S. Passport card
  • Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) issued by DHS (or INS)
  • Employment authorization document (EAD) issued by DHS, Form I-766 or Form I-688B
• Social Security Number Documents Accepted
  • Social Security card
  • Original Wage and Tax Statement (W-2) or payroll stub with the applicant’s employer name and employer ID number, as well as the applicant’s name, address, and Social Security number (a photocopy of a W-2 is not acceptable) (You may use the same W-2 as one proof of WV residency, provided it is not more than 18 months old)
  • 1099 form with applicant’s full Social Security number and name
• Residency Documents Accepted
  • WV utility bills (not more than 60 days old, cannot be a termination notice, and cannot be two bills issued by the same company)
  • Tax records with a WV street address
  • WV mortgage documents, WV homeowner insurance documents for a WV residence, or proof of WV home ownership
  • WV W-2 form that is not more than 18 months old (you may use the same W-2 as your proof of Social Security number)
  • Documents with a PO Box are not acceptable
  • Any recurring document cannot be more than 60 days old (such as a utility bill or bank statement)
  • A termination notice from a utility company cannot be used as a proof of residency document
  • You may not use more than one proof of WV residency document issued by the same company

What is the Cost to get a West Virginia Commercial Learner's Permit?

CDL testing fee is $25.00 + driver's licensing fees. The CDL testing fee allows testing for general knowledge, air brakes and combination. Commercial Driver's Licenses fees are non-refundable. Endorsement fees are $10.00 each at the time of application.

Required fees are $10.00 for each endorsement and $5.00 for the duplicate license. (For one endorsement the fee would be $15.00. For two endorsements the fee would be $25.00. etc.)

Commercial Medical Examination

All commercial motor vehicle drivers must have a physical performed by a medical examiner listed on National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners

If you cannot be medically certified, you may be eligible for a medical waiver. If you wish to be able to operate a commercial motor vehicle interstate (all 50 states) you must apply and be granted a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration. Contact (304) 347-5935 for further information. If you wish to operate a commercial motor vehicle in WV only, please call (304) 926-3801 for information on obtaining a medical waiver.

Testing Locations and Hours

A WV resident can apply for a commercial driver’s instruction permit, commercial driver’s license (CDL) at any DMV regional office. All DMV regional offices are open Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm; with the exceptions of Kanawha City, which is open Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm and Saturday from 8 am - 12 pm, and the Martinsburg regional office is also open on Saturday from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. Please check the DMV website or call 1-800-642-9066 for further information. Regional Offices are located in:

• Beckley
• Charles Town
• Clarksburg
• Elkins
• Flatwoods
• Franklin
• Huntington
• Kanawha City (Charleston)
• Lewisburg
• Logan
• Martinsburg
• Moorefield
• Morgantown
• Moundsville
• Parkersburg
• Point Pleasant
• Princeton
• Romney
• Spencer
• Summersville
• Weirton
• Welch
• Williamson
• Winfield

What Information is on the Test for the West Virginia Commercial Learner's Permit?

The knowledge test, written or oral, must be taken and passed, with at least an 80% score by all applicants. You must test for the endorsements listed on the test card at the time as when you test for general knowledge. At a later date you can get a test card for other endorsements. If you fail any portion of the knowledge examination, you must wait 7 days before you may retest. You may test 3 times on the original fees paid. Hazardous Materials testing must be written.

The CDL knowledge tests include:

• The general knowledge test, taken by all applicants
• The passenger transport test, taken by all bus driver applicants
• The air brakes test, which you must take if your vehicle has air brakes, including air over hydraulic brakes
• The combination vehicles test, which is required if you want to drive combination vehicles
• The hazardous materials test, required if you want to haul hazardous materials as defined in CFR, Title 49 §383.5. In order to obtain this endorsement, you are also required to pass a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background check
• The tank vehicle test, required if you want to haul any liquid or gaseous materials in a tank or tanks having an individual rated capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate rated capacity of 1,000 gallons or more that is either permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle or chassis
• The doubles/triples test, required if you want to pull double or triple trailers.
• The school bus test, required if you want to drive a school bus

How long is the Commercial Learner's Permit Valid?

The CDL instruction permit may not be issued for a period to exceed 180 days. Only 1 renewal on re-issuance may be granted within a 2 year period from issue date. In the event the applicant has been issued 2 CDL instruction permits, before the applicant may obtain an additional CDL instruction permit he/she must reapply and re-test on all parts of the knowledge exam.

Military Test Waiver

Military personnel may, within six (6) months of their honorable discharge, apply for a CDL and request a waiver to the skills test portion. For more information regarding this waiver, please contact the CDL office at (304) 926-3801.