How to Get a CDL in Kentucky
Six steps, in order, with the Kentucky numbers that actually matter. Median heavy-truck pay is $54K+ — and step one takes a day and costs $20.
FMCSA-compliant under 49 CFR Part 380 · Reported to the federal TPR · 7-day refund
The short version
- 01Check eligibility — 18 in-state, 21 across state lines
- 02Finish ELDT theory training — today, $20
- 03Pass the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing knowledge test, get your CLP
- 04Behind-the-wheel practice, then the skills test
- 05DOT medical card on the national registry
- 06Upgrade the CLP to a full Kentucky CDL
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Am I eligible for a CDL in Kentucky?
You can get a Kentucky CDL at 18 to drive commercially inside Kentucky, or at 21 to drive across state lines, haul hazmat, or transport placarded loads. You need a Kentucky residential address, a valid Kentucky driver's license in good standing, and — for most classes — a current DOT medical certificate.
Disqualifiers are federal, not state: a suspended license, certain drug or alcohol convictions, or an open Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse prohibition will stop you at the counter. Clear those first — the rest of this page assumes you're eligible.
Applicants 18-20 may be licensed for intrastate driving only and receive a 'K' (Kentucky only) restriction; age 21 required for interstate operation
New to the requirement? What is ELDT? →
Step 1 · How do I complete ELDT theory training?
Since February 7, 2022, the FMCSA requires Entry-Level Driver Training before you can take the CDL knowledge test. Take the theory course from a provider on the federal Training Provider Registry, and your completion is reported electronically to the registry — usually within a day.
This step is not Kentucky-specific. The theory curriculum is standardized nationally under 49 CFR Part 380, so a $150 course and a $20 course put the identical record in the same federal registry. Paying more buys marketing, not a better certificate.
Do step 1 right now
Class A ELDT Theory Course
Self-paced · finishable in one day · lifetime access · no subscription
Need endorsements too? The All-Access bundle covers all 7 courses for $49.
Step 2 · How do I get a Kentucky CDL learner's permit?
Once your ELDT completion is in the federal registry, take your documents to a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing driver exam station and pass the general knowledge test plus any endorsement tests. The agency issues your commercial learner's permit (CLP), and you must hold it at least 14 days before the skills test.
- Permit fee: $11.00 standard / $14.00 REAL ID application fee for a commercial permit, plus a $3.00 NCIC criminal-records check collected by the regional office before the written test
Bring with you — per the KY checklist
- Proof of identity
- Social Security card
- Valid Kentucky driver's license
- Medical Examiner's Certificate completed by a certified Medical Examiner
- For transfers: valid out-of-state commercial driver's license and proof of Kentucky residency (two documents…
Knowledge test covers
- General Knowledge (50 questions)
- Vision test
- Combination Vehicles for Class A (20 questions)
- Air Brakes (25 questions)
- Doubles/Triples (20 questions)
- Tanker (20 questions)
Find a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing location →
Step 3 · Do I need behind-the-wheel training?
Yes. ELDT has two halves: the theory course you finished in step 1, and behind-the-wheel (BTW) training on a range and on public roads. BTW must be done in person with a registered provider, has no minimum hour requirement, and ends when an instructor judges you proficient.
Your CLP lets you drive a commercial vehicle only with a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat. Most drivers do BTW through a local school or a carrier-sponsored program — look near Louisville, Lexington, or Bowling Green.
Step 4 · How do I schedule the Kentucky skills test?
Kentucky runs CDL skills testing through examiners approved by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing, and you schedule once your 14-day CLP hold is up. The test has three parts — pre-trip inspection, basic control skills, and an on-road drive — and you must supply a vehicle representing the class you're testing for.
- Skills test fee: No separate skills-test fee is published by KYTC. 601 KAR 11:010 Sec. 2 provides that the commercial driver's license instruction permit fee 'shall include the fees for required vision, knowledge, and skills testing.' Skills tests are given by the Kentucky State Police Driver Testing Branch.
- Third-party testing: yes - 502 KAR 10:035 authorizes approved third parties (driver training schools/instructors who complete a USDOT-approved CDL examiner course, $25…
- Applicant must furnish their own vehicle for the CDL road skills test in the class applied for - KSP does not supply test vehicles; GVWR must be verifiable from the manufacturer's…
Knowledge test may be taken as many times as needed but only once per day - 24-hour wait between failed attempts. Skills test may be taken as many times as needed; after four failures 'you must wait seven (7) days before rescheduling for the next (fifth) attempt.'
Step 5 · Do I need a DOT medical card?
Almost certainly. Most CDL drivers must pass a DOT physical with an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry and file the certificate with the state. A standard card is good for up to 24 months; conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes can shorten that to 12 months or less.
Get this done before your Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing visit — you'll need the certificate on file to be issued the CLP, so it isn't really step 5 in practice.
Step 6 · When do I actually get the CDL?
After you pass the skills test, you take the examiner's results and your CLP to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing, pay the license fee, and are issued a temporary CDL on the spot. The permanent card arrives by mail, and your driving record shows the class and endorsements immediately.
Endorsements you skipped now can be added later — each one is a knowledge test, and Hazmat adds a TSA background check.
- License fee: Original CDL add-on $18.75-$45.00 standard / $23.75-$50.00 REAL ID (prorated to the expiration of the operator license); original CDL with S endorsement add-on $21.00-$30.00 standard / $26.00-$35.00 REAL ID; renewal Operator/CDL $88.00 standard / $93.00 REAL ID; out-of-state CDL transfer $60.00 transfer fee plus the issuance fee; duplicate $15.00
Compare your ELDT options
Same federal curriculum, same registry, same certificate. The difference is what you pay and how long it takes.
| ELDT HQ | Typical online | CDL school theory | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theory course price | $20 | $99 – $150 | Bundled, $3k – $8k total |
| All 7 endorsements | $49 bundle | $300+ | Varies |
| Time to complete | One day, self-paced | One day – two weeks | 3 – 8 weeks, fixed schedule |
| Reported to federal TPR | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Curriculum | 49 CFR Part 380 | 49 CFR Part 380 | 49 CFR Part 380 |
| Refund window | 7 days before starting | Often none | Enrollment contract |
Competitor figures are typical advertised ranges, not quotes. Behind-the-wheel training is priced separately by every provider, including us.
Kentucky CDL questions
No. Transferring an existing, valid CDL to Kentucky is a license transfer at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing, not new training. ELDT is required only when you first obtain a Class A or B CDL, upgrade a class, or add a Hazmat, Passenger, or School Bus endorsement for the first time.
Most people take four to eight weeks. Theory training is one day, the CLP hold is 14 days minimum, and the rest is behind-the-wheel practice and how far out your skills test appointment lands. Metro testing sites book further out than rural ones.
It is if the provider is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry — that listing is the only thing that makes any theory course count. The curriculum is standardized in 49 CFR Part 380, so every registered provider teaches the same required topics.
Yes, for intrastate driving only. You must be 21 to drive across state lines, haul hazardous materials requiring placards, or transport passengers interstate.
No. Our course is the theory half. Behind-the-wheel must be completed in person with a registered provider on a range and on public roads, and it is priced and scheduled separately.
No. ELDT is training, not an exam. You still take Kentucky's knowledge test for the CLP and the three-part skills test for the CDL, both administered by the state.
You retake only the portion you failed, but each attempt carries its own fee and requires a new appointment. Your CLP must still be valid on the retest date.
Add endorsements while you're at it
Each endorsement is another knowledge test — and more pay. All seven courses are $49 in the All-Access bundle.
Hazmat
Placarded loads. Adds a TSA background check and a knowledge test.
$20
Passenger
Buses, shuttles, motorcoaches. Required ELDT theory course.
$20
School Bus
Highest-demand seasonal work. ELDT theory required.
$20
Tanker
Liquid bulk. Pairs with Hazmat for the best pay.
$20
Hauling hazardous materials? Read the Hazmat endorsement guide →
Step 1 takes a day. Start it now.
$20 · self-paced · reported to the federal registry · 7-day refund
How to get a CDL in other states
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