When Can I Get My CDL Endorsements?

In thinking about it, I'm not sure if the pre-trip and driving exam sections will be on the permit exam or not. But the rest in my list above I'm almost certain will be.

Davey, don't sell yourself short! I'm from TX, and went through the same tests you'll be taking. When I started school I had my permit and all my endorsements except hazmat. You will retain the information so much easier by using the High Road Training Program. Please trust me on this, I didn't even need that really boring TX CDL manual. I took my permit test and my endorsement tests all at the same time and aced it all. Now, I'm not trying to brag on myself, but want you to realize how special this learning tool is. There have been a lot of people benefit greatly from it and I hope you will give it a try.

I read the info on here several months ago but I cant seem to find it now. When do you take the endorsement exams and what do they normally cost (ballpark)? I want to go ahead and get everything up front and be done with it.

In North Carolina, you can take the endorsement tests at the same time as your Permit Test but they won't put the HAZMAT on your permit. The cost is included in your application fee of $30 for 3 attempts on the knowledge tests but the HAZMAT fee is like $90

I don't know about on other states, but on Georgia if you take and pass the hazmat exam prior to passing your CDL test you will be required to take the road test as if you were transporting a hazmat load. To me this seems like a lot of extra rules and potential failures added to an already stressful situation. If you just get your CDL and then go take the hazmat test you can remove that bit of stress from your test.

I will chime in... I got all my endorsements when I tested. The one that was completely useless was passenger. They put the passenger endorsement on my learner's permit. However, I tested on a tractor trailer. When I went to get my full CDL , I was told by Wisconsin and North Carolina that if I wanted to keep the passenger endorsement, I would have to take a road test on a bus and do the pre trip on a bus.

The hazmat endorsement will not be put on a learner's permit. You can test it if you want. In NC, I had 90 days from the date I took the test to get my full CDL. If I had got my full CDL - A after 90 days from the day I took the test, I would have had to retest. Also, in NC, they would not let me test without first having my HME background check completed by the TSA. That background check cost $86.

Twins and tankers were easy. As Old School said, use the High Road Training Program. It works! I never even opened a CDL manual from the state and aced every single test first try. Also, when I got to school, I had such a better understanding of a lot of the material than others. Some of the rules, like the split sleeper berth rule, I understood better than some of the instructors. Use the High Road Training Program!!!!!!!

Do not worry about pretrip, hours of service, cargo handling, and such, cause private or co sponsored CDL training covers all that stuff.

What do you mean don't worry about those? Of course you worry about those. You want to learn that stuff now while you're sitting in the comfort of your own home and you have time. You don't want to wait until you show up for training and then have to cram it in all at once. Now is the perfect time to learn all of the materials.

The reason I built the High Road Training Program is because the training at these truck driving schools is all about cramming as much stuff in your head as fast as they can and rushing you through the exams before you forget. But that's obviously not the best way to learn a large volume of materials in a way that's going to stick with you and be useful on the road when you need them.

The training you're doing isn't for just passing a test. The training is so you know how to do your job when the time comes. And you're going to need all of the materials in the High Road Training Program or they wouldn't be there. Get the entire course completed before you begin Truck Driving Schools or Company-Sponsored Training if at all possible. That's going to give you the best possible chance at a successful start to your career and prevent a whole lot of stress.

As far as getting the endorsements, you can get them as soon as you get your permit. You can even take them all at the same time. The Hazma is the only one that will cost more and take more time because of the fingerprinting and background checks. But the others are just a short written exam that costs very little (how much will vary from state to state) and take about 20 minutes each to complete.

Thank you so much for the training site. I am 61 years old and just getting started. You have really made training excited and everyone responding is so nice and know they were in my position went through the training when getting started. I am sure you have this somewhere but please help me understand the CDL permit. In the next few months I will start my driving and training with Prime. They are in Springfield MO and I live in North Carolina. Should I get my permit here in NC before going and then study and train in MO for my CDL. I am confused which state my CDL should be listed or does it matter if you live in one state and your CDL license is through another state. Hope you understand my question. I can wait and get the permit and CDL in Springfield MO.