Class A CDL practice test
Class A is the tractor-trailer license — the one most trucking careers are built on. The general knowledge test below is where every Class A applicant starts; the combination vehicles test is what sets Class A apart, and it has its own practice page.
In cold weather, which part of the road freezes first?
What a Class A license covers
A Class A CDL lets you drive any combination of vehicles rated 26,001 lbs or more where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 lbs:
- Tractor-trailers (semis, 18-wheelers) — dry van, reefer, flatbed
- Tanker combinations (with the tanker endorsement)
- Doubles and triples (with the T endorsement)
- Livestock carriers and heavy equipment haulers
Class A includes Class B and C privileges, so a Class A holder can also drive straight trucks and buses (endorsements permitting). It's the "never need to upgrade" license.
The written tests on the Class A path
- General knowledge — the test above; required for every CDL class.
- Combination vehicles — the Class A-defining test: coupling, the trailer air system, jackknife prevention. Practice it here.
- Air brakes — skip it and your license carries an L restriction that rules out virtually every real tractor. Air brakes practice test.
- Endorsements for the job you want — hazmat (highest pay bump), tanker, and doubles/triples.
Beyond the written tests
The rest of the Class A path: a DOT physical and medical card, Entry-Level Driver Training, the permit period, and a skills test in a combination vehicle — where the pre-trip inspection fails more candidates than the driving does. Budget-wise, here's what the whole thing costs — including the company-sponsored $0-upfront route.
Frequently asked
- What can I drive with a Class A CDL?
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 lbs or more, where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 lbs — tractor-trailers, tanker combinations, flatbeds, and livestock carriers. Class A also covers Class B and C vehicles with the right endorsements.
- Which written tests does Class A require?
- General knowledge plus the combination vehicles test — that pairing is what makes it Class A. Nearly everyone also takes air brakes to avoid the L restriction, and endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples) as the job requires.
- How many questions are on the Class A test?
- Typically 50 general knowledge questions plus about 20 combination vehicles questions and 25 air brakes questions, each needing roughly 80% to pass. States vary slightly.
- Is Class A worth it over Class B?
- Class A opens the largest job market — over-the-road, regional, and most of the highest-paying freight work. Training costs more and takes longer than Class B, but the license covers Class B vehicles too, so you never have to upgrade later.