Georgia is the logistics engine of the Southeast. The Port of Savannah is one of the busiest container terminals in the country, Atlanta is a distribution hub for the entire East Coast, and interstates 75, 85, 20, and 95 form a freight web that keeps roughly 75,000 commercial drivers working. This page covers exactly how to get your Georgia CDL: who qualifies, what it costs in 2026, the order the steps happen in, the Georgia-specific rules most guides skip, and which written tests you'll take — with a free practice test for each. First thing to know: in Georgia, commercial licenses come from the Department of Driver Services (DDS), not a "DMV."
On this page: At a glance · Recent changes · Step-by-step · Fees · Which tests · Georgia specifics · Pay & jobs · FAQ
Georgia CDL at a glance
Fees and rules change. Confirm current figures on the Georgia DDS commercial license page. Georgia requires you to submit the online License/ID/Permit Form before visiting a Customer Service Center.
What changed for Georgia CDLs recently
Verify current status with DDS before you apply — this is recent.
Paper medical certificates no longer accepted. Effective June 18, 2025, DDS no longer accepts paper medical certificates by mail, fax, email, online, or in person. Your medical examiner submits results to the FMCSA, which transmits them electronically to DDS through the National Registry. Keep your self-certification and medical card current or risk a downgrade.
Human trafficking disqualification. Georgia DDS now imposes a CDL disqualification for using a commercial vehicle in human trafficking, and offers a Human Trafficking Awareness training resource for drivers.
Non-domiciled CDLs paused. Following U.S. DOT emergency rules in late September 2025, new and renewal CLP/CDL issuance is paused for applicants with limited-term legal presence. Check the DDS site for current status.
How to get your CDL in Georgia, step by step
Step 1 — Hold a Georgia license and meet the basics
You need a valid Georgia driver's license first. You can apply for a CDL at 18, but if you're 18 to 20 you'll get a "Georgia Only" restriction (intrastate driving), removed at 21 with no extra testing. You must be able to read and understand English, and you'll submit the online License/ID/Permit Form before your visit.
Step 2 — Pass your DOT physical (submitted electronically)
Pass a DOT physical with an examiner on the National Registry. As of June 18, 2025, results are submitted electronically — you don't bring a paper certificate. You'll also self-certify the type of driving you do; all Georgia CDL holders must submit a self-certification.
Step 3 — Complete ELDT theory training
Federal law requires first-time applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver Training from a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before the skills test. You can finish the theory portion online — we run an FMCSA-registered provider, ELDT365, for exactly that.
Step 4 — Apply and pass your knowledge tests
At a DDS Customer Service Center, pay the $10 Commercial Instructional Permit fee plus the $35 Commercial Application (CAP) fee, pass the vision exam, and pass the knowledge tests for your class and endorsements. The CAP fee covers up to four test attempts. Pass, and DDS issues your Commercial Instructional Permit (Georgia's CLP), valid for 365 days.
Step 5 — Hold your permit for 14 days and practice
Hold the permit for at least 14 days before the road test, practicing in a commercial vehicle with a licensed CDL holder of the same class or higher in the front passenger seat.
Step 6 — Pass the road (skills) test
Pay the $50 road-test fee and schedule your skills test at a qualifying DDS Customer Service Center. It has three parts — vehicle inspection, basic control skills, and the on-road driving test — and you must bring a commercial vehicle matching the class you're testing for.
Step 7 — Get your Georgia CDL
Pass, pay the license fee, and take your photo. From there it's keeping your medical certificate current and renewing on schedule (8 years for most classes; HAZMAT is limited to 5).
Georgia CDL fees (2026)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Commercial Application (CAP) fee — covers 4 test attempts | $35 |
| Commercial Instructional Permit (CLP) fee | $10 |
| Road (skills) test fee | $50 |
| CDL license fee (8-year) | ~$32 (varies) |
| DOT physical exam | ~$80–$150 (varies by provider) |
| ELDT theory training | Varies by provider |
| HAZMAT endorsement — federal TSA background check | ~$85 (separate federal fee) |
Government fees as of 2026; confirm on the Georgia DDS fees page. The CAP and license fees are waived for veterans with Combat status on their license and for qualifying school bus drivers. Behind-the-wheel training at a CDL school is a separate, larger cost — commonly $3,000–$7,000 — and isn't a DDS fee.
Which written tests you'll take in Georgia
Every Georgia CDL applicant takes General Knowledge; the rest depend on your class and the job. Questions come from the Georgia Commercial Driver's License Manual. Every test below is free to practice here — tap to start.
Class A (tractor-trailers)
General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes (skip Air Brakes and you get a restriction barring air-braked vehicles — nearly every truck).
Class B (straight trucks, buses)
General Knowledge (Class B) plus, almost always, Air Brakes. School bus drivers add Passenger and School Bus (Georgia waives the CAP fee for qualifying school bus drivers).
Endorsements (job-specific)
Add only what your job needs: HAZMAT (plus a TSA background check), Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Passenger, and School Bus. The Pre-Trip Inspection is a spoken part of the skills test, not a written one.
Not sure which class and endorsements fit your goal? Run the Which CDL tool, or see the full step-by-step guide to getting your CDL.
Georgia-specific rules worth knowing
- It's DDS, not the DMV. The Department of Driver Services handles licensing in Georgia. You submit the online License/ID/Permit Form before visiting a Customer Service Center.
- "Georgia Only" for ages 18–20. You can start your CDL career at 18 with an intrastate restriction, lifted at 21 with no extra testing — one of the more accessible setups for young drivers.
- The permit lasts a full year. Georgia's Commercial Instructional Permit is valid for 365 days, longer than the 180 days most states give.
- Four test attempts. The $35 CAP fee covers four knowledge-test attempts; after a fourth fail (or 360 days between attempts), a new CAP and fee are required.
- Generous military waivers. Georgia's Even Exchange Program can waive the knowledge test for qualifying military occupational classifications, and a separate skills-test waiver is available for eligible veterans.
- Strict commercial rules. Commercial and bus drivers face a texting ban with penalties up to $2,750, and Georgia imposes CDL disqualification for human trafficking offenses.
CDL pay and jobs in Georgia
Georgia employs more than 74,000 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, and demand is constant. Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data puts the average annual wage for these drivers in Georgia around $54,770, with the Atlanta metro higher at roughly $57,770 and Savannah around $55,990, near the national median of about $57,440 (May 2024). Those are averages across all experience levels; new drivers start lower while experienced drivers earn more. The opportunity in Georgia is shaped by two engines: the Port of Savannah, where container drayage feeds a steady stream of well-paying local and regional routes, and the Atlanta distribution network feeding the entire Southeast. Add the state's agricultural freight — poultry, peanuts, and refrigerated produce — and there's reliable work across local, regional, and OTR runs. With a cost of living below the national average, take-home pay stretches further than the headline number.
Picking a school to get behind the wheel? Compare Georgia CDL schools by location, price, and reviews on CDLSpot.
Wage figures are approximate and based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates; actual pay varies by employer, region, experience, route type, and endorsements.
Start practicing for your Georgia CDL
Read the Georgia Commercial Driver's License Manual once, then use the practice tests to find your weak spots and retake until you're consistently above 90%. Every test is free, no sign-up, and reshuffles its questions on each attempt.