Get Your CDL in North Carolina

If you love the open road and want to make a career out of driving, it’s essential to obtain your CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). However, though you may soon be trucking all over the nation, each state has slightly different CDL requirements. As long as you follow the steps in a timely fashion and make decisions when needed, you’ll be well on your way to your CDL.

CDL in North Carolina

Before starting North Carolina CDL license training, you will need to decide what type of CDL you need. The North carolina DMV offers three separate license types for potential CDL drivers: Commercial Class A (combination of vehicles weighing 26,001 pounds or more, as long as the one towed is over 10,000 pounds), Commercial Class B (a single vehicle weighing 26,001 pounds or more and towing a vehicle 10,000 pounds or under), and Commercial Class C (one that fits neither above category but transports 16 or more passengers or transports certain kinds of hazardous materials).

If you’re unsure about the type of CDL you need, consult with your company. If you want to find work as a bus driver, a CDL Class C is what you need.

Cost of CDL License

Are you concerned about the cost of the North Carolina CDL license? Many people are. The fees are actually relatively affordable. The application fee is the most expensive at $51.50. If you are approved and have a CDL learners’ permit (this part might remind you of when you were 15 or 16), the cost is:

Application fee – \$51.50 (This fee applies to each three attempts of the knowledge tests.)

Commercial Class A – $25.50 per year

Commercial Class B – $25.50 per year

Commercial Class C – $25.50 per year

Commercial Duplicate – $16.75

Required Documents

Paperwork can be a hassle, but you need a few key documents before you get a license. When you go to the licensing office, be sure to bring these things:

  • proof of age or identity. This is important. You need two documents with your name and date of birth on them. Examples include your birth certificate, Social Security card, tax forms, and school documents. You can also bring in a regular driver’s license.
  • your social security number. It isn’t enough to know it; you have to prove the number is yours. Your social security card, 1099 tax form, W-2 form, or other forms reflecting that the number is yours are acceptable.
  • proof of residency. You need to prove that you live where you claim to live. These include voter registration cards, North Carolina vehicle registration, utility bills, housing contracts, and government-issued documents, among others. If you are homeless, a letter from a homeless shelter will also suffice. Non-U.S. citizens must provide proof of their legal presence.
  • proof of liability insurance. You must show a policy. If you don’t have a car, the DMV will place a hold on your license, allowing you to drive fleet vehicles only. You can pay $10 to remove this hold.

Medical Card

If your company requires you to have a medical card, bring that as well. You must also meet the basic age requirements: you need to be at least 18 years old and 21 for companies requiring a medical card. For a learner’s permit, you need a regular driver’s license (class A, B, or C). When you drive with your permit, you must have a licensed commercial driver in the front seat with you.

Read the CDL Manual

Before you take the written or skills test, you need to study. Reading the Commercial Driver Manual (available for free download on the NCDOT webpage) is probably your best bet. Take your time, read thoroughly, and take practice tests – you can find free quizzes, etc., online. You can even get a friend to discuss the knowledge and quiz you on it. The good news is that, since you already have a plain license, you’re familiar with the rules of the road. Commercial driving, while different, is likely something you’ll come to understand quickly.

When you are ready to be licensed, you need to take a written test and a skills test, just as you did when obtaining your regular license. After your learner’s permit period has ended, you can go back and get a full CDL license. You’ll be on the road in no time.