How to Get a CDL in Maryland

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 Maryland-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.

Need endorsements too? The All-Access bundle covers all 7 courses for $49.

Step 2 · How do I get a Maryland CDL learner's permit?

Once your ELDT completion is in the federal registry, take your documents to a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) 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.

Find a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) 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 Baltimore, Columbia, or Annapolis.

Step 4 · How do I schedule the Maryland skills test?

Maryland runs CDL skills testing through examiners approved by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), 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: Not published on the MVA pages reviewed; a $20 fee must be paid before rescheduling a CDL skills test after a failure or no-show
• Third-party testing: Not published as a third-party program
• Applicant must provide a safe representative vehicle that matches the class and type of CDL being tested for, with valid registration and insurance and visible VIN plates;…

Schedule your MD skills test →

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 Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) 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 Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), 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: Bundled with the commercial learner's permit fee - MVA states 'the fee for the permit includes the fee for obtaining the license' and 'If the customer holds a commercial learner's permit, there is no additional fee since the fee was included in the permit fee.' Dollar amounts could not be read from the MVA fee page.
• License term: 8 years
• An interim license document is issued to carry after passing the skills test; 'Your CDL will be mailed to your mailing or residential address on file with the MVA within 7-10…