Kansas CDL License Requirements

In order to drive a commercial vehicle in Kansas, you must first obtain a Kansas commercial driver’s license (CDL). While classes of CDL licenses can vary slightly from state to state, Kansas categorizes commercial vehicles as follows:

• Class A: Truck or vehicle combination weighing over 26,001 pounds that is towing a vehicle over 10,000 pounds
• Class B: Truck or bus that weighs more than 26,001 pounds
• Class C: Vehicles requiring a hazardous materials placard, or ones that carry over 16 people (including the driver) but weigh less than 26,001 pounds

To obtain a Kansas CDL, you must be at least 18 years old, pass a vision exam and obtain a medical certificate. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regulates interstate transportation of cargo. If you wish to transport materials across state lines, you must be at least 21 years old. Applicants then need to take a general knowledge exam and a practical skills test, which includes a pre-trip vehicle inspection and an on-road driving test. For the driving test, you must use a vehicle in the same class for which you are trying to obtain a CDL license--for example, if you wish to obtain a Class A CDL, you must test in a Class A vehicle.

To drive a truck with air brakes, a tanker truck, a school bus or a truck with double/triple trailers, additional endorsements are needed. Endorsements are also needed to transport hazardous materials (Hazmat) or to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver). A background check by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is needed for the Hazmat endorsement. Truck driving schools will provide you with the knowledge and skills training needed to pass the Kansas CDL exams.

Resources for Kansas CDL Requirements

Visit the Kansas Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles website for more information.