Pennsylvania CDL practice test
The CDL general knowledge test follows federal standards, so these questions apply in Pennsylvania just as they do nationwide — it is the same test that earns your PA commercial learner's permit (CLP). Below the test you'll find the Pennsylvania-specific steps to actually get licensed.
When turning, you should signal:
Pennsylvania 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 PA steps on each page.
Getting your CDL in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, apply through the state licensing agency (PA DMV / DOT). The core steps are the same across states:
- Get a valid PA 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 Pennsylvania. Confirm the current details with the PA licensing agency before you go.
What is different in Pennsylvania
Licensing in Pennsylvania runs through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 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.
PennDOT implemented the federal rule on 23 June 2025 and now accepts medical examiner’s certificate information only electronically from the FMCSA National Registry — it no longer takes certificates in person or by email. What you do still file is the self-certification: Form DL-11CD. PennDOT mails you a receipt once the certification information or the self-certification form has been processed; keep it.
A 45-day clock after your certification expires
If your certification lapses and is not renewed, the commercial driving designation is removed within 45 days and the licence is downgraded to a non-commercial one. That is a specific, short window, and it starts without anyone calling you.
Pennsylvania moved to electronic medical certification on 23 June 2025. The Pennsylvania DOT physical page has the rest — what the exam checks, what happens if your certification lapses, and the PennDOT contacts worth having.
Official state source: PennDOT — Self-Certification / Medical Examiner's Certification FAQs· 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.