Are All US Semi-Truck Drivers Required To Have A CDL License & How Do You Get One?

As global commerce has evolved over the past few centuries, the method of transporting goods has very much transformed. The supply chain is comprised of numerous moving parts, including trains, planes, and boats, which all work together to get people what they need. Alongside these modes of transportation are semi-trucks, equipped with diesel engines to ensure massive amounts of products are moved from place to place safely and efficiently. Unsurprisingly, not just anyone — not even someone who drives massive, street-legal, tank-like trucks — can fill out a job application, hop in a semi, and take goods across the United States.

If someone wants to be a commercial semi-truck driver in the U.S., they generally have to receive the proper licensing to do so. A commercial driver's license, or CDL, is necessary to drive any vehicle, including trailers, over the weight of 26,001 pounds. This goes for vehicles like semi-trucks, delivery vans, shuttles, and more. However, there are some exceptions where a CDL isn't needed. Driving such a vehicle on your own property or for personal, non-commercial use doesn't require a CDL. If you're a qualified non-CDL driver, some states will allow you to get by without such a license on public roads. Of course, the criteria may vary from state to state, so it's best to do some research before getting behind the wheel.

If you're looking to get a CDL of your own, there are a few important things to know about the process before you get started.

All in all, obtaining one's CDL can be a time-consuming process, with several necessary steps to get there.

First, you'll want to hit the books. Studying your specific state's Commercial Driver's Licensing Manual is key, as is knowing which type of CDL you want to go for. You can obtain a Class A, Class B, or Class C license, with A being the one that allows you to commercially drive semi-trucks. From here, you may have to complete an entry-level driving training course before tackling the CDL skills test or hazardous materials endorsement written test. Next come the biggest steps in the process.

With all the preliminaries out of the way, you must acquire a commercial learner's permit, which allows you to practice behind the wheel with a qualified CDL holder overseeing your performance. Getting one entails all of the aforementioned studying, in addition to physical evaluations, ownership of a DOT medical card, examination of residency documents, and driving record checks. 

If you have documentation and you pass the CLP exam, the entry-level training will be complete, and if you've had your CLP for longer than 14 days, you can take the CDL skills test. It features three parts – the Vehicle Inspection Test, Basic Controls Test, and Road Test – and as long as you pass, you'll receive your CDL.

Becoming a CDL-carrying commercial semi-truck driver is clearly a demanding endeavor. Even driving some of the most powerful pickup trucks ever built doesn't compare to taking a fully-loaded semi on a cross-country trip. Thus, it's important that those in the shipping industry only seek out folks capable of handling such a job, meaning those with a CDL to their credit. Not only does it indicate that their product is in capable hands, but that they and their drivers won't get into any trouble once they hit the road. After all, commercial driving without a CDL is no joke.

Getting ahold of a CDL can cost a few thousand dollars, which is undeniably a lot of money, but it's a small price to pay in the long run compared to the penalties for driving a commercial truck without one. In the event someone is caught, serious issues can and will arise. Driver's license loss or extended suspension could be in order, or, if an accident of some kind occurs, criminal charges could be filed. The culprit could potentially lose their job if they lied about having a CDL to begin with, and they could be hit with hefty fines for breaking road safety laws. Companies can be fined in the neighborhood of $10,000 for hiring and using unlicensed drivers.

Suffice it to say, getting a CDL to become a commercial semi-truck driver isn't just important; it's a must. It can be a long road to get it, and it costs a good chunk of change, but as the saying goes, the law is the law.