Learn the basic eligibility, licensing, medical, training, testing, and documentation requirements for obtaining a Colorado Commercial Driver License.
Colorado requires a Commercial Driver License for drivers operating qualifying commercial motor vehicles, including vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, certain passenger vehicles designed to transport 16 or more people including the driver, and vehicles transporting federally regulated hazardous materials that require placarding.
Applicants should determine the CDL class and endorsements they need before applying for a Commercial Learner's Permit. Colorado's process includes knowledge testing, applicable medical qualification, required entry-level driver training, a minimum CLP holding period, and a CDL skills test when required.
Understand the difference between Class A, Class B, and Class C commercial licenses in Colorado.
A Class A CDL generally covers combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more when the vehicle being towed has a GVWR greater than 10,000 pounds.
A Class B CDL generally covers a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less.
A Class C CDL applies to qualifying commercial vehicles that do not meet the Class A or B definitions but are designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver or are used to transport hazardous materials requiring placarding.
Understand Colorado's CLP process, knowledge exams, permit validity, and the 14-day holding requirement.
A Colorado Commercial Learner's Permit authorizes supervised operation of the commercial vehicle class and endorsements shown on the permit. The CLP holder must operate under the applicable supervision requirements and have a qualified CDL holder with the appropriate class and endorsements.
Colorado states that CLPs are valid for one year and are not eligible for renewal. The knowledge-test results used to issue a CLP are tied to that issuance, so applicants should select the class and endorsements they actually need before taking the required examinations.
A Colorado CLP must be held for at least 14 calendar days before the applicant can take the CDL skills test at an approved third-party testing facility.
Learn when federal ELDT requirements apply to Colorado CDL applicants.
Colorado applicants subject to federal Entry-Level Driver Training requirements must complete training through a provider registered with the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before taking the applicable CDL skills or endorsement test.
ELDT generally applies to first-time Class A and Class B CDL applicants, drivers upgrading from Class B to Class A, and applicants seeking a first-time passenger, school bus, or hazardous materials endorsement. Federal exceptions can apply in specific circumstances.
For a first-time hazardous materials endorsement, the applicant must complete the required hazardous-materials theory training before taking the H endorsement knowledge test.
Learn what Colorado's commercial driving skills test covers and when you can take it.
Colorado defines the CDL skills test as three major components: vehicle inspection, basic control skills, and the road test. Applicants must meet the applicable training and permit requirements before taking the test.
The CLP must be held for at least 14 calendar days before the CDL skills test. Colorado uses approved third-party testing facilities to administer the skills test and record results through the state's commercial skills testing system.
Understand medical qualification and self-certification requirements for Colorado commercial drivers.
Commercial drivers may need to provide evidence of medical qualification and maintain the appropriate medical certification depending on the type of commercial driving they perform. Colorado's CDL process incorporates federal medical qualification requirements and Colorado self-certification categories.
Drivers should keep their medical information current and promptly provide required documentation. An expired or missing medical qualification can affect CDL validity and may require additional steps to restore the credential.
Review the major CDL endorsements available in Colorado and what they allow a qualified driver to operate.
Endorsements add specific commercial driving privileges to a CDL. The required testing and training depend on the endorsement. Some endorsements also have federal restrictions on what can be placed on a Commercial Learner's Permit.
Hazardous materials has additional requirements beyond the normal endorsement process, including a Transportation Security Administration security threat assessment and, for first-time applicants, applicable ELDT.
- T — Double or triple trailers
- P — Passenger vehicles
- N — Tank vehicles
- H — Hazardous materials
- S — School buses
- X — Tank vehicle and hazardous materials combination
Understand common Colorado CDL restrictions and what they limit.
Restrictions can be placed on a Colorado CDL or CLP based on the vehicle used for testing, medical qualifications, age, or other circumstances. The restriction shown on the credential determines which commercial vehicles the driver may legally operate.
For example, Colorado's E restriction applies when the CDL skills test is completed in an automatic-transmission vehicle. Removing that restriction requires the appropriate permit and a new skills test in a manual-transmission vehicle of the applicable class.
- K — Intrastate operation only
- L — No air-brake-equipped commercial vehicle
- E — No manual-transmission commercial motor vehicle
- M — No Class A passenger vehicle
- N — No Class A or B passenger vehicle
- O — No tractor-trailer commercial motor vehicle
- P — No passengers in a commercial motor vehicle bus while operating under a CLP
- V — Interstate medical variance
- X — No cargo in a commercial tank vehicle
- Z — No full-air-brake-equipped commercial motor vehicle
Understand how age and intrastate restrictions affect Colorado CDL driving privileges.
Colorado permits qualifying applicants to pursue commercial driving credentials beginning at age 18. Drivers between 18 and 20 are subject to Colorado's intrastate restriction and cannot use that CDL for ordinary interstate commercial driving.
The K restriction is used for Colorado intrastate operation in several situations, including qualifying drivers ages 18 through 20 and certain drivers whose medical or federal exemption limits them to intrastate commerce.
Learn the additional requirements for obtaining or renewing a Colorado hazardous materials endorsement.
A hazardous materials endorsement has additional federal security requirements. Colorado requires applicants to complete the applicable TSA security threat assessment process before the H endorsement can be issued or renewed.
A driver applying for the H endorsement for the first time after the federal ELDT rules apply must also complete the required hazardous-materials theory training before taking the H knowledge examination.
Understand Colorado's rules for transferring an existing CDL or commercial learner's permit from another state.
Colorado's current CDL FAQ states that valid out-of-state CDLs that are expired less than one year can transfer to Colorado, subject to Colorado's requirements. Most endorsements transfer, but Colorado specifically identifies H and X as exceptions.
An out-of-state commercial learner's permit does not transfer to Colorado. Applicants with an out-of-state CLP must obtain a Colorado CLP and complete the applicable testing requirements.
Understand the normal validity period of a Colorado CDL and issues that can affect CDL status.
Colorado states that CDLs are valid for four years. Drivers should monitor both their credential expiration date and their medical certification status because medical qualification issues can affect CDL validity.
A CDL that is suspended, revoked, canceled, or affected by an expired medical qualification may require additional steps before commercial driving privileges are restored.
