Class B CDL practice test
Class B covers single heavy vehicles — box trucks, dump trucks, buses. The written test is the same general knowledge exam every CDL applicant takes, so these questions are exactly what you'll face. What changes for Class B is which tests you can skip.
GVWR stands for:
What a Class B license covers
A Class B CDL lets you drive a single vehicle rated 26,001 lbs GVWR or more, as long as anything you tow stays at 10,000 lbs or less. In practice that means:
- Straight trucks and box (delivery) trucks
- Dump trucks and cement mixers
- Transit, charter, and school buses (with the passenger and school bus endorsements)
- Utility and bucket trucks
Tractor-trailers and any combination towing more than 10,000 lbs require Class A. A Class A license covers Class B vehicles too — but not the other way around.
Which written tests Class B drivers take
- General knowledge — required for everyone. That's the test above.
- Air brakes — take it unless you want an L restriction; nearly every Class B vehicle has air brakes. Practice the air brakes test.
- Endorsements as needed — passenger and school bus for buses, hazmat or tanker for certain loads.
- What you skip: the combination vehicles test and the doubles/triples endorsement — those belong to Class A.
The rest of the process
Beyond the written tests you'll need a DOT physical, Entry-Level Driver Training with a registered provider, a permit holding period, and a skills test in a Class B vehicle — see the pre-trip inspection checklist for the part most people fail. Cost-wise, Class B training typically runs cheaper and shorter than Class A — the full cost breakdown is here.
Frequently asked
- What can I drive with a Class B CDL?
- A single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs or more, towing nothing heavier than 10,000 lbs — straight trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, buses, and cement mixers. For tractor-trailers you need Class A.
- Is the Class B written test different from Class A?
- The general knowledge test is the same. The difference is what comes on top: Class A adds the combination vehicles test, while Class B drivers skip it. Both may need air brakes and endorsement tests depending on the vehicle.
- How many questions are on the Class B test?
- Most states ask 50 general knowledge questions and require about 80% to pass, plus about 25 more on air brakes if your vehicle has them.
- Is a Class B CDL easier to get than Class A?
- Generally yes — training is shorter and cheaper, and the skills test is in a straight truck rather than a combination. The trade-off is a smaller (mostly local) job market and usually lower pay than over-the-road Class A work.