Hawaii CDL Requirements Guide

This page summarizes what Hawaii requires of Class A Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) and Commercial Driver's License (CDL) applicants, with links to the official government sources. Requirements come from Hawaii's licensing agencies and federal regulations; FLO LLC's own training standards appear separately below. Sources were checked on 2026-10-13. Where anything here differs from the agency, the agency controls.

• Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices

Official Hawaii CDL Manual

Commercial Driver License Manual – 2005 CDL Testing System, Version: July 2017 (Hawaii: June 2025) — published by the state. FLO LLC links to the state's own document; it does not copy or host it.

READ HAWAII CDL MANUAL

Opens the official PDF in a new tab. If it does not open, use the state's manual page: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — manual page.

Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) requirements

• Federal rule: a CLP is valid for no more than one year, and its holder may drive a commercial motor vehicle on public roads only when accompanied by a CDL holder with the proper class and endorsements (49 CFR 383.25).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 383.25 — Commercial learner's permit

CDL eligibility and age requirements

• Federal rule: a driver must be at least 21 years old to drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce (49 CFR 391.11(b)(1)).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers

Interstate versus intrastate driving

• Federal rule: a driver must be at least 21 years old to drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce (49 CFR 391.11(b)(1)).
• Every CLP and CDL applicant must self-certify one of four types of commercial driving — non-excepted interstate, excepted interstate, non-excepted intrastate, or excepted intrastate — and non-excepted drivers must provide a current medical examiner's certificate (49 CFR 383.71(b)(1)).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers · 49 CFR 383.71 — Driver application and certification procedures

Identity and residency documentation

• Hawaii County: Social Security card or SSA verification letter, proof of citizenship or legal presence, and two documents for proof of residence.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page

Legal-presence requirements

• Federal rule: CLP and CDL applicants must prove U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, or qualify under the federal non-domiciled rules (49 CFR 383.71).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 383.71 — Driver application and certification procedures

Medical certification and self-certification

• Every CLP and CDL applicant must self-certify one of four types of commercial driving — non-excepted interstate, excepted interstate, non-excepted intrastate, or excepted intrastate — and non-excepted drivers must provide a current medical examiner's certificate (49 CFR 383.71(b)(1)).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 383.71 — Driver application and certification procedures

Knowledge examinations required

• Hawaii County: pass the General Knowledge test and any special knowledge test relevant to the testing vehicle to obtain the CLP.
• Class A applicants take the General Knowledge and Combination Vehicles knowledge tests, plus Air Brakes for an air-brake vehicle (Hawaii manual, Section 1.1). Endorsements require their own tests.
• Federal standard: at least 80% correct is required to pass each knowledge test (49 CFR 383.135).

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 383.135 — Passing knowledge and skills tests

Steps to obtain the CLP

• 1. Study the official Hawaii CDL manual (link above).
• 2. Gather the identity, residency, Social Security and legal-presence documents the agency lists, and complete your self-certification (and medical examination if you are non-excepted).
• 3. Pass the required knowledge tests with Hawaii's driver licensing agencies.
• 4. Receive your CLP.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page

CLP holding period

• Federal rule: a CLP holder may not take the CDL skills test during the first 14 days after the CLP is first issued (49 CFR 383.25(e)).
• Confirm Hawaii's current procedure on the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices page linked below.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR 383.25 — Commercial learner's permit

Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements

• Hawaii County: ELDT must be completed before scheduling a road test appointment; completion must be received electronically and verified by CDL staff.
• Federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) applies to anyone obtaining a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, upgrading to Class A or B, or obtaining a first school bus, passenger or hazardous materials endorsement (49 CFR Part 380, Subpart F).
• ELDT has two parts — theory (classroom/online) and behind-the-wheel (range and public road) — and both must be completed with providers listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, which reports your completion electronically before you may take the skills test.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR Part 380, Subpart F — Entry-Level Driver Training · FMCSA Training Provider Registry

Behind-the-wheel training requirements

• ELDT behind-the-wheel training must be taken from a behind-the-wheel provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, on a range and on public roads, in a vehicle of the class you are training for. The instructor decides when you are proficient; federal rules set no minimum number of hours (49 CFR Part 380, Subpart F, Appendix A).
• FLO LLC's online course is ELDT THEORY only. It does not provide behind-the-wheel training.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · 49 CFR Part 380, Subpart F — Entry-Level Driver Training · FMCSA Training Provider Registry

Skills examination procedures

• The practical test consists of a vehicle inspection, basic control skills test and road test. Hawaii uses the random (partial) method for the vehicle inspection and basic control maneuvers, allows one exit per exercise to check position, and allows a simulated railroad crossing and student discharge on the road test.
• Bring a valid permit for the class of vehicle (A, B or C), a valid DOT medical certificate, and a licensed accompanying driver with the same or higher class and a valid DOT medical certificate.
• The skills test has three parts taken in order — vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control and on-road driving. The Hawaii manual's basic control section describes the exercises described in Section 12 of the manual (straight-line backing, offset backing, and alley dock or parallel parking as listed there).

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page

Licensing office and scheduling resources

• Use the official Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices pages linked below to find offices, schedule tests and confirm current procedures.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page · Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Kauai page · Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Obtaining page

Steps to receive your Class A CDL

• To convert a CLP to a CDL, surrender your Hawaii driver's license and CLP and present a valid DOT medical certificate.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Safety Office, with the county driver licensing offices — Hawaiicounty page