New Jersey CDL practice test
The CDL general knowledge test follows federal standards, so these questions apply in New Jersey just as they do nationwide — it is the same test that earns your NJ commercial learner's permit (CLP). Below the test you'll find the New Jersey-specific steps to actually get licensed.
Which endorsements may be added to a Commercial Learner’s Permit?
New Jersey endorsement tests
General knowledge is the test above. Each endorsement has its own written test and its own question pool — practise the ones your job needs, with the NJ steps on each page.
Getting your CDL in New Jersey
In New Jersey, apply through the state licensing agency (NJ DMV / DOT). The core steps are the same across states:
- Get a valid NJ driver's license and provide required identity documents.
- Pass the DOT physical with a certified medical examiner and carry your medical card.
- Pass the written knowledge tests (general knowledge plus any endorsements you need).
- Hold your commercial learner's permit (CLP) for the required waiting period.
- Complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) with a registered provider, if required.
- Pass the skills test — pre-trip inspection, basic controls, and road test.
Exact fees, permit hold times, and document requirements are set by New Jersey. Confirm the current details with the NJ licensing agency before you go.
What is different in New Jersey
Licensing in New Jersey runs through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. The part that catches people out is not the test — it is the medical certificate, because the way it reaches the state changed in 2025.
New Jersey was a late switcher: the MVC announced on 5 March 2026 that it had implemented National Registry II, after completing a system upgrade. Medical providers now submit exam results directly into the FMCSA National Registry, and the NJMVC no longer accepts paper medical certificates from CDL or CLP holders — MVC staff check the registry to verify compliance. If anything in your medical certification is missing or wrong, the fix is with your medical provider, who updates it in the registry; the MVC counter cannot correct it.
The rule here changed in March 2026, not 2025
Like California, New Jersey ran on paper long after the June 2025 federal compliance date, so guidance written for New Jersey drivers before March 2026 — including a lot of employer paperwork — still describes mailing or handing in the certificate. It no longer works.
New Jersey moved to electronic medical certification on 5 March 2026. The New Jersey DOT physical page has the rest — what the exam checks, what happens if your certification lapses, and the NJMVC contacts worth having.
Official state sources: NJMVC — CDL self-certification and medical examiner certificate· reviewed 2026-08-22·NJMVC press release — New Jersey implements new CDL medical certification process (2026-03-05)· reviewed 2026-08-22
Don't forget the DOT physical
A valid medical certificate is required before you can be licensed. Read our DOT physical guide to know what the exam checks and how to pass it the first time.