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Tennessee CDL Requirements

Tennessee commercial driver licensing — what to expect at the counter, how much it costs, and which endorsements you can add.

Overview

Commercial driver licensing in Tennessee is administered by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Tennessee follows the federal CDL standards established by 49 CFR Part 383 and Part 384, but applies state-specific fees, scheduling rules, and document requirements layered on top of the federal baseline. The page below summarizes those state-specific add-ons; for the federal core material, see our endorsement-by-endorsement study guides.

Tennessee charges a base CDL application fee of $82 and a separate skills test fee of $105, with additional charges for endorsement add-ons. Class A and Class B licenses are renewed every 5 years and require a current DOT medical examiner's certificate on file with the state at all times.

Drivers transferring an out-of-state CDL into Tennessee generally do not have to retest if their existing license is unexpired and in good standing, but must surrender the old license and provide proof of residency, identity, and lawful presence consistent with REAL ID requirements. Endorsements typically transfer with the license, with the exception of the Hazardous Materials (H) endorsement, which always requires a new TSA threat-assessment background check when the licensing state changes.

For drivers preparing for a Tennessee CDL application, additional context — including federal manual excerpts, employer hiring practices, and DOT medical guidance — is widely available from industry resources. Continue reading on a recommended industry resource for further detail. Always cross-check anything you read with the current edition of your state CDL manual, since enforcement guidance is updated periodically.

Tennessee CDL fees (2026)

The Tennessee base fee structure for a Class A or Class B CDL applicant is summarized below. Endorsement add-ons are charged separately at issuance, and skills test fees are paid to whichever third-party tester you schedule with — or directly to the state if testing is handled in-house.

  • CDL application: $82
  • Skills test: $105
  • Per endorsement add-on: $10
  • License renewal: $53 every 5 years

Medical certificate filing

the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security accepts the DOT medical examiner's certificate by self-certification, by examiner upload through the National Registry, or by direct submission at any full-service driver license office in Tennessee. Drivers who allow their medical certificate to lapse have their CDL automatically downgraded to a non-commercial license — usually within ten business days of the expiration on file with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The downgrade is reversible, but it requires a new physical and a fresh certificate filed with the state before commercial driving privileges are restored.

Disqualifications

The federal disqualification framework applies in Tennessee exactly as it does elsewhere: a first major offense (DUI, refusal of testing, leaving the scene, using a CMV in the commission of a felony) results in a one-year disqualification (three years if the vehicle was placarded for hazmat). A second major offense is a lifetime disqualification, with a possible reinstatement after ten years if the driver completes a state-approved rehabilitation program.

Serious traffic violations — speeding 15 mph or more above the limit, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, and others — disqualify a CDL holder for sixty days on the second conviction within three years and one hundred twenty days on the third. Tennessee applies these federal rules in addition to any state-level penalties imposed on the driver's non-commercial driving record.

Endorsement add-ons in Tennessee

You can add any of the eight federally recognized endorsements to your Tennessee CDL. Each requires passing the corresponding written knowledge exam, plus — in the case of Hazardous Materials — a TSA background check, and — in the case of Passenger and School Bus — a skills test in a representative vehicle.