Oklahoma CDL License Requirements

To start a career in truck driving in Oklahoma, you must first earn an Oklahoma commercial driver’s license (CDL). There are typically three types of CDL licenses that can vary slightly from state to state. Oklahoma classifies commercial vehicles using the following criteria:

• 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 qualify for a CDL in Oklahoma, 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 the transportation of cargo between states. USDOT requires all drivers who transport materials across state lines to be at least 21 years old. CDL applicants must then pass both a written knowledge exam and a driving test. The three part driving test includes a pre-trip vehicle inspection, a basic control skills test and an on-road driving exam. The driving test must be taken in a vehicle that matches the class of CDL license you are trying to obtain.

Additional qualifications, or endorsements, are needed to drive a truck with air brakes, a tanker truck or a school bus. Endorsements are also needed to transport hazardous materials or to transport passengers. A background check by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is required to transport hazardous materials (Hazmat endorsement). A truck driving school will provide the education and on-road training needed to pass the Oklahoma CDL requirements.

Resources for Oklahoma CDL Requirements

Visit the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety website for more information.