How to Get a CDL in Rhode Island

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 Rhode Island-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 Rhode Island CDL learner's permit?

Once your ELDT completion is in the federal registry, take your documents to a Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) 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: $73.50 new commercial learner's permit | $23.50 CLP update or duplicate | knowledge test $23.50 with $10.00 for each additional test (all amounts include a $3.50 technology surcharge)

Find a Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) 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 Providence, Warwick, or Cranston.

Step 4 · How do I schedule the Rhode Island skills test?

Rhode Island runs CDL skills testing through examiners approved by the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), 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: $100.00 skills test fee
• Third-party testing: Not published as a third-party tester program; CDL skills tests are given at the state test site at 400 Romano Vineyard Way in North Kingstown, and the DMV…
• Vehicle must be empty (a loaded vehicle forfeits the exam fee)

Schedule your RI 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 Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) 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 Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), 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: $103.50 CDL renewal (5-year) | $49.50 renewal age 70 and older (2-year) | $59.50 out-of-state transfer | $23.50 duplicate or update. A separate original-issuance fee is not published on the commercial fee page.
• License term: 5 years