Who gives the CDL skills test in Florida?

FLHSMV's CDL and Third Party Testing Unit oversees commercial skills testing in Florida, which is delivered through state-certified Third Party Administrators and Third Party Testers.

Where do the Florida CDL fees on this page come from?

Every dollar amount renders from Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)'s own published fee schedule, cited beside the figure. When the agency publishes no figure for a line, this page shows the agency's own note instead of a guess.

Do I need my CDL before starting a trucking company?

They are separate tracks: the CDL licenses the driver, while operating authority licenses the business. Most owner-operators finish the CDL first because revenue depends on it, then file the business-side registrations. The state startup guide linked on this page covers that second track in order.

Florida CDL: Requirements, Cost, and Testing

By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 22, 2026

What a Florida CDL costs

These are the license-side fees Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) publishes; training tuition is a separate, school-set cost covered in our CDL training cost guide. A line reading "Not confirmed" means the agency publishes no figure; the note beside it says what the agency does say.

Commercial learner permit (CLP): FLHSMV's published fee schedule carries a single original-or-renewal commercial driver license line and no separate learner permit line.
Original commercial driver license: $75The fee schedule does not state the CDL term in years. A service fee of $6.25 may be added to any credential issued at a tax collector office.
CDL renewal: $75Original and renewal are one line on the FLHSMV fee schedule.

Endorsement fees

Endorsements ride on the base license; hazmat also carries a federal background check handled outside the license fee. Our hazmat endorsement guide covers that federal layer.

Florida CDL endorsement fees
Endorsement	Fee	Notes
Endorsement, each	$7	The schedule prices endorsements at one flat per-endorsement fee rather than itemizing hazmat, tank, passenger, school bus, and doubles/triples separately.

Test fees

Florida CDL test fees
Test	Fee	Notes
Knowledge retest	$10
Skills retest	$20

Who gives the skills test in Florida

States split between running CDL skills tests themselves and certifying third-party testers; it changes where you book and who you pay.

Testing model: FLHSMV's CDL and Third Party Testing Unit oversees commercial skills testing in Florida, which is delivered through state-certified Third Party Administrators and Third Party Testers.
Scheduling: Schedule the skills test directly with a state-certified third-party administrator; FLHSMV supervises the program rather than running every test site itself.
Before you apply: All CDL applicants must already hold an operator's license and pass the vision requirements. Applicants must be at least 18; drivers under 21 are limited to intrastate operation.

Every applicant also needs a current medical certificate; our DOT physical guide covers the exam that produces it. Not sure your truck even needs a CDL? Start with CDL vs non-CDL.

The federal training rule, then Florida's position

Entry-level driver training (ELDT) is federal: it applies in every state before the tests it gates, and the training must come from a provider on FMCSA's registry. The full walkthrough lives in our how to get a CDL guide.

Who must train: First-time Class A or Class B applicants; Class B holders upgrading to Class A; First-time S, P, or H endorsement applicants
Registry requirement: Entry-level driver training means training received from an entity listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, completed before taking the CDL skills test for a first or upgraded Class A or Class B CDL, before the skills test for a first P or S endorsement, or before the knowledge test for a first H endorsement. You must complete training with a provider listed on the registry.
States may add more: States with training requirements that exceed the federal minimum standard may prohibit you from taking the skills test, or the knowledge test for the H endorsement, until you meet their state requirements as well as the federal ones. Federal rules also allow you to receive training and take the CDL skills test in a state other than the state you are licensed in.

FLHSMV's commercial motor vehicle pages do not state a Florida training requirement beyond the federal entry-level driver training rule, and no state addition is recorded here.

The official manual and where this fits

The knowledge tests come straight from the state's own manual, so study the agency's current edition: Florida CDL Handbook. The CDL licenses you as a driver; if the plan is your own trucks and your own freight, the business side runs on its own track through start a trucking company in Florida.

Frequently asked questions

Who gives the CDL skills test in Florida?: FLHSMV's CDL and Third Party Testing Unit oversees commercial skills testing in Florida, which is delivered through state-certified Third Party Administrators and Third Party Testers.
Does Florida require training beyond the federal ELDT rule?: FLHSMV's commercial motor vehicle pages do not state a Florida training requirement beyond the federal entry-level driver training rule, and no state addition is recorded here.
Where do the Florida CDL fees on this page come from?: Every dollar amount renders from Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)'s own published fee schedule, cited beside the figure. When the agency publishes no figure for a line, this page shows the agency's own note instead of a guess.
Do I need my CDL before starting a trucking company?: They are separate tracks: the CDL licenses the driver, while operating authority licenses the business. Most owner-operators finish the CDL first because revenue depends on it, then file the business-side registrations. The state startup guide linked on this page covers that second track in order.

Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.