Basic Requirements To Obtain Your New Jersey CDL Class B License

A commercial driver’s license is required for anyone who plans to drive a commercial vehicle for a living including a truck driver or bus driver. The basic requirements for all CDL are to be 18 years of age or older, have a basic driver’s license (Class D), you need 20/40 quality of visionper eye with or without glasses, you need to tell the difference betweengreen, red, and amber colors, and be physically fit. Commercial drivers are must have a medical examiner’s fitness statement as required by the federal law. This should be renewed every two years.

Class B Licensure

Most CDL classes are dependent on the total weight of the vehicle driven and sometimes weight of what the vehicle is carrying. Class B licensure includes vehicles with a gross vehicles weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. This also includes vehicles with a GVWR of over 26,000 while towing a trailer with a GVWR of less than 10,000 pounds and vehicles with a GVWR of over 26,000 pounds that is designed to transport 16 or more passengers excluding the driver. Those with a class B license may also be able to drive class C and D vehicles if they have the proper endorsements.

Endorsements

Some endorsements you may consider pursuing in addition to your Class B licensure include double/triple trailers , passenger , tank vehicle , hazardous materials , and school buses . Extra testing is required for all of these endorsements. If you pass testing, you will have the endorsements indicated on your CDL. To qualify for endorsements, you should be 18 years of age to drive within state, be 21 years of age or older with three years of driving experience to drive within and outside of state, Required having 20/40 quality of vision, have 70 degrees of peripheral vision per eye, and easily recognize the difference betweenamber, red, and green colors. Applicants for school vehicles such as buses are required to have a background check and a state criminal history investigation. Endorsement requirements and information can be found here

g2. Fees for Commercial Licensure

Some of the fees you will encounter include endorsement fees and commercial licensing fees. Endorsement fees start with a 4 year CDL for $42. It will be $2 per endorsement. If you do not have a easypassenger of New Jersey driver’s license, factor in another $24 for a license of Class D.

Fees for Commercial Permit

A permit for a CDL has a fee of $125. This includes road tests, endorsement, and knowledge as well as payment for the results of background check, any data exchange involvingthe driver monitoring process, andmedical review form. Keep in mind; you may be disqualified for commercial licensure based on your medical and results of background check. You are not necessarily eligible for a fee refund if you are disqualified.

Applying for Licensure

The application process for obtaining a CDL license include studying for the CDL knowledge test , taking the CDL road test, visit MVC, pass a 6-point verification which requires SSN per the initial CDL permit, and pay the $125 permit fee.

The Knowledge (Written) Test

The general test has 50 questions and requires a score of at least 80% to pass. There are additional tests are required per endorsement. If you fail the testing process, you have 7 days, and then you are eligible to take the test again. You can retake your test any amount of times. However, if you don’t pass after the 180 days is up, you must renew your existing permit. After passing the testing process, MVC will then validate the permit. You will be able to practice driving a commercial vehicle for ten. Afterwards, you will be able to retake a road test.

The CDL Test

Applicants for the Class B licensure must take a CDL test, which you are able to schedule twenty days after passing the knowledge test. If you are a school bus driver, you can schedule a road test ten days after passing the knowledge test. There will be a specialist that will ride along with you and the road test takes 60 minutes or three of 20-minute parts including pre-trips, basic and easy skills, and road skills. You are required to bring your own commercial vehicle to the road test with the current inspection sticker, and registration and insurance card. In addition, you will need a valid examination permit. After passing the full road test, you can obtain your CDL by taking your permit and authorization slip to your local MVC. However, if you end up failing the road test, then you will have to wait two weeks, and then you can re-take the test. Keep in mind, MVC can require you to wait at least six months, and then you can retake the road test if you fail the test several times.

1. Exemptions

Many vehicle specific drivers do not require the CDL for purpose including taxis, firefighters, first-aid and rescue vehicles, any farmers who transport their products or equipment with an average of 150 miles from their farm,operators who are non-civilian of military machinery, operators who deal with construction equipment, and operators involving personal vehicles designed

1. Restrictions

Applicants under 21 years of age may only travel within New Jersey. They may not be given HAZMAT or passenger endorsements.