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CDL Data · 2026
The license fee for a commercial driver's license is smaller than most people expect — and it varies a lot by state. We compiled the official commercial learner's permit (CLP) and CDL fees for all 51U.S. jurisdictions. Here's what you'll actually pay your DMV.
Last reviewed 2026-06-20 · State license fees only — see the note on training below.
The state license fee for a CDL averages about $68nationwide — the combined cost of your commercial learner's permit and the CDL itself. The spread is wide: Iowa charges around $16, while New Jersey tops the list near $295. Where you test is set by where you live, so for most drivers this number isn't a choice — it's just good to know before you walk in.
One thing that doesn't vary: the 14-day federal minimum you must hold your CLP before taking the skills test. Plan your study window around it.
Sorted lowest to highest total fee. Figures are each state DMV's CLP + CDL license fees and exclude training school, the DOT medical exam, TSA HazMat fees, and third-party testing-site charges. See our sources & methodology.
The numbers above are what you pay the DMV. The bigger costs usually sit outside that:
The one cost you can cut to nearly zero is study. Koydo CDL's practice — every section, every state, plus a mock exam — gets you to the 80% passing bar without paying for a retake.
Across all 50 states and DC, the official license fees for a CDL average about $68 — that's the combined commercial learner's permit (CLP) and CDL license fee charged by your state DMV. The cheapest jurisdictions charge around $16 (Iowa); the most expensive is New Jersey at about $295.
By official DMV license fees, Iowa is the cheapest at about $16 total (CLP + CDL). Note this counts only the state's license fees — not training school, the DOT medical exam, or testing-site charges, which are usually the bigger costs.
No. These figures are the state DMV's license fees only — the CLP and CDL fees you pay the licensing agency. They do not include a truck-driving school (often $3,000–$7,000), the DOT medical card, the TSA fee for a HazMat endorsement, or any third-party testing-site charges. Training is almost always the largest single cost of getting a CDL.
Federal rules require you to hold your commercial learner's permit for at least 14 days before taking the CDL skills test. That 14-day minimum is the same in every state — what varies is the license fee.
Yes — each figure comes from that state's own DMV or licensing agency, and the table links to the official source for every state. Fees change, so always confirm the current amount with your state DMV. Last reviewed 2026-06-20.
Practice every section for your state and take the mock exam when you're close to 80%.
See also Sources & methodology · How to pass in 2026 · About Koydo CDL
Free to share with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Independent study aid — not affiliated with or endorsed by any state DMV or official testing authority. Always confirm current fees with your state DMV.