Virginia CDL practice test
The CDL general knowledge test follows federal standards, so these questions apply in Virginia just as they do nationwide. Below the test you'll find the Virginia-specific steps to actually get licensed.
In cold weather, which part of the road freezes first?
Getting your CDL in Virginia
In Virginia, apply through the state licensing agency (VA DMV / DOT). The core steps are the same across states:
- Get a valid VA 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 Virginia. Confirm the current details with the VA licensing agency before you go.
What is different in Virginia
Licensing in Virginia runs through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. 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.
Virginia DMV set its own date and published it plainly: effective 5 May 2025 the DMV no longer accepts medical examiner’s certificates directly from commercial drivers. Every certificate has to come from the examiner electronically through the FMCSA National Registry portal. The self-certification stays with you — either on the CDL application (Form DL 2P) or, if you are only changing category, on the CDL Self-Certification form DL 8.
The MER is not the MEC, and DMV cannot take it
Virginia spells out a confusion that costs people a second trip: the Medical Examination Report is the long multi-page document you fill the history section of, and DMV cannot accept it. The Medical Examiner’s Certificate is the separate thing the examiner issues — and since May 2025 even that comes electronically, not from your hand.
Virginia moved to electronic medical certification on 5 May 2025. The Virginia DOT physical page has the rest — what the exam checks, what happens if your certification lapses, and the DMV contacts worth having.
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.