How Much Does ELDT Training Cost?
FMCSA-registered ELDT theory runs $20–$75 per course across providers. DLA Academy is $20. The curriculum is federally fixed — the price is not.
CDL and ELDT Fees by State (2026)
ELDT theory from DLA Academy is $20 per course in every state we serve. The state fees are on top of that and are set by each state; here they are, each linked to the state's own fee page.
| State | CLP | CDL license | Skills test | Endorsement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36.25 alea.gov | $66.25 Class A; $56.25 Class B; $36.25 Class C alea.gov | $20 alea.gov | not published |
| Alaska | $15 (instruction permit, commercial and non-commercial); $5 renewal dmv.alaska.gov | $100 standard / $120 REAL ID dmv.alaska.gov | $25, non-refundable dmv.alaska.gov | not published |
| Arizona | $25.00 Class A or B permit (no endorsements); $12.50 Class C permit azdot.gov | $25.00 Class A or B; $12.50 Class C (new or transfer) azdot.gov | $25.00 Class A or B vehicle; $12.50 Class C vehicle; $5.00 to add a passenger or school bus endorsement to an existing CDL azdot.gov | $10.00 each for doubles/triples, tank, HME and passenger; school bus endorsement no fee azdot.gov |
| Arkansas | not published | $50 for 5 years (Act 753, effective January 1, 2022) dfa.arkansas.gov | not published | not published |
| California | not published | $100 original Class A or B application; $59 Commercial Class C original; $59 Class A/B renewal dmv.ca.gov | $46 commercial driving or skill retest dmv.ca.gov | $59 to add tank, doubles/triples or hazmat; $100 to add a passenger endorsement (Class A or B) dmv.ca.gov |
| Colorado | $20.00 (learner's permit fee, commercial included; raised from $19.00 effective June 30, 2026) dmv.colorado.gov | $35.00 (raised from $17.50 effective June 30, 2026) dmv.colorado.gov | not published | not published |
| Connecticut | $20 (charged after passing the required knowledge tests) portal.ct.gov | $70 new (four-year license; renewal also $70) portal.ct.gov | $30 (paid with the application; paid again for each retest) portal.ct.gov | $5 per endorsement knowledge test portal.ct.gov |
| Delaware | $5.00 at issuance citizen.dmv.de.gov | $55.00 for 8 years; CDL with hazmat $30.00 for 5 years dmv.de.gov | not published | $10.00 each additional endorsement dmv.de.gov |
| Florida | not published | $75.00 original or renewal; $48 for school board bus drivers flhsmv.gov | $20.00 skill retest flhsmv.gov | $7.00 per endorsement flhsmv.gov |
| Georgia | $10 (paid before testing; kept as a testing fee and paid again if any exam is failed); permit valid 365 days dds.georgia.gov | $32 for 8 years (5 years with an H or X endorsement) dds.georgia.gov | $50 per road skills testing attempt dds.georgia.gov | $5 each (one-time fee when added after initial issuance; renewed with the CDL at no extra fee) dds.georgia.gov |
| Hawaii | $30 permit application fee honolulu.gov | $5 per year or fraction thereof (manual: $40 license fee upon passing skills test) hidot.hawaii.gov | $50, prepaid at appointment, forfeited if missed honolulu.gov | $5 per special knowledge test (endorsement test fee) hidot.hawaii.gov |
| Idaho | $29 itd.idaho.gov | $60 for 8 years (age 21+); $40 for 4 years (21+); $30 for 3 years (18-21); $15 for 1 year (age 20) itd.idaho.gov | Up to $200: $10 county DL office fee plus examiner fee up to $190 itd.idaho.gov | $20 after CDL issued (written test fee extra) itd.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | $50 (Illinois non-CDL holder adding a CLP; renewing an original CLP also $50) ilsos.gov | $60 for 4 years (listed for renewal or out-of-state transfer) ilsos.gov | not published | $5 ilsos.gov |
| Indiana | $17 secure.in.gov | $35 secure.in.gov | Set by the third-party test site, max $200 first attempt, $150 second, $100 additional attempts (vehicle rental extra); school bus skills test $150 secure.in.gov | $19 to add or remove a CDL endorsement secure.in.gov |
| Iowa | $12 (added to an existing license; 1 year) iowadot.gov | $8 per year, 8-year term; 2 years for age 78+ iowadot.gov | not published | $5 doubles/triples, tank, hazmat; $10 passenger, school bus; $10 hazmat/tank combination iowadot.gov |
| Kansas | $13 total ($5 permit issuance + $8 photo fee) ksrevenue.gov | $41 total for a new CDL with testing, age 21+ ($18 issuance + $15 test fee + $8 photo), plus $10 per endorsement ksrevenue.gov | $15 skills exam; $10 skills retest ksrevenue.gov | $10 each ksrevenue.gov |
| Kentucky | $11 ($14 REAL ID) drive.ky.gov | $18.75 to $45 standard ($23.75 to $50 REAL ID) as an add-on to the operator license, prorated by time left on the operator license drive.ky.gov | $50 if Kentucky operator license held 30+ days; $150 if held under 30 days or out-of-state license; $50 retest; no fee for S endorsement applicants apps.legislature.ky.gov | not published |
| Louisiana | not published | $61.50 basic Class A/B/C license fee ($76.50 Orleans Parish residents) + $15 application fee + parish fee up to $8 expresslane.la.gov | Third-party skills test $100 if you provide the vehicle expresslane.la.gov | Seven dollars and fifty cents per endorsement legis.la.gov |
| Maine | not published | $34 for 5 years, under age 65 ($59 REAL ID); $27 for 4 years age 65+ ($47 REAL ID) maine.gov | Included in the $70 commercial exam fee for the first road test; $70 reexamination; $70 extra for a missed appointment without 48 hours' notice legislature.maine.gov | $20 each endorsement (exam fee) maine.gov |
| Maryland | $106 mva.maryland.gov | not published | $20 skills retest (also $20 no-show fee); initial skills test fee not listed mva.maryland.gov | not published |
| Massachusetts | $30 mass.gov | $75 for 5 years (Class A, B or C) mass.gov | $35 mass.gov | $10 per endorsement with the CLP application/same transaction; $30 per endorsement on a different day mass.gov |
| Michigan | not published | $25 (standard CDL, first-time); renewals $25. Charged on top of the underlying operator's ($25) or chauffeur's ($35) license; license term 4 years michigan.gov | not published | $5 each (standard CDL); X endorsement $10 michigan.gov |
| Minnesota | $26.75 dps.mn.gov | Class A $65, Class B $57, Class C $50; Class A under 21 $45 dps.mn.gov | not published | $2.50 examination fee per endorsement dps.mn.gov |
| Mississippi | $16 (valid 6 months) driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov | $55 for 5 years driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov | not published | $5 per endorsement driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov |
| Missouri | $44 total ($25 written exam fee + $10 permit fee + $9 office processing fee) dor.mo.gov | $40 license transaction fee for a 3-6 year term, plus $18 office processing fee dor.mo.gov | $25 dor.mo.gov | not published |
| Montana | Same as the CDL fee: $41.72 interstate (age 21-67, includes admin costs); $35.54 intrastate (age 21-67) mvdmt.gov | $41.72 interstate (ages 21-67; $67.47 with REAL ID); intrastate $35.54 (ages 21-67; $61.29 with REAL ID) mvdmt.gov | not published | not published |
| Nebraska | $15 ($10 fee + $5 security fee) dmv.nebraska.gov | $60 for 5 years ($55 fee + $5 security surcharge) dmv.nebraska.gov | not published | $15 to change class, endorsement or restriction on a CDL ($10 + $5 surcharge) dmv.nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | $57.50 dmv.nv.gov | $57.50 to complete the learner permit and issue the CDL dmv.nv.gov | $30 plus $3.50 photo fee dmv.nv.gov | $14 per endorsement plus $3.50 photo fee dmv.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | $20, in addition to the $60 class fee dmv.nh.gov | $60 (Class A, B or C) dmv.nh.gov | not published | $10 per endorsement (H, N, P, S, T), added to the license fee dmv.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | not published | $42 for 4 years (first CDL prorated to the current basic license expiration) nj.gov | not published | $2 per endorsement (with the 4-year CDL) nj.gov |
| New Mexico | $10 mvd.newmexico.gov | $18 for 4 years or $34 for 8 years mvd.newmexico.gov | not published | not published |
| New York | $10 application fee (covers all written tests taken at the same time) dmv.ny.gov | Varies: depends on the expiration date and class of the current license dmv.ny.gov | $40 dmv.ny.gov | not published |
| North Carolina | Same as the regular learner's permit fee (G.S. 20-7) ncleg.gov | $25.50 per year of the license term ncleg.gov | not published | $5.00 per endorsement per year of the license term ncleg.gov |
| North Dakota | $15 ($20 for non-domiciled) dot.nd.gov | Fifteen dollars to apply for a commercial license or permit, plus three dollars per endorsement ndlegis.gov | $5 dot.nd.gov | $3 each dot.nd.gov |
| Ohio | $31.50 (CDL temporary permit, deputy registrar fee included) bmv.ohio.gov | $46.50 for 4 years or $92.00 for 8 years (first CDL) bmv.ohio.gov | At state-owned sites: pre-trip $10, basic control $10, road test $30 (third-party sites set their own fees) bmv.ohio.gov | not published |
| Oklahoma | not published | Class A: $25 application + $56.50 credential = $81.50 for 4 years, or $25 + $113.00 = $138.00 for 8 years (Class B $71.50 / $128.00; Class C $61.50 / $108.00) oklahoma.gov | not published | Application fee when adding a CDL endorsement: Class A $25, Class B $15, Class C $15 oklahoma.gov |
| Oregon | $40 oregonlegislature.gov | $160 (with or without endorsements) oregonlegislature.gov | $145 at DMV; $40 DMV fee to accept results from a certified third-party tester (tester's own charge separate) oregonlegislature.gov | No separate endorsement fee in ORS 807.370: the CDL fee covers endorsements; each endorsement knowledge test is $10 oregonlegislature.gov |
| Pennsylvania | Included in the upgrade fee (one permit, photo fee included); the upgrade fee is prorated by months left on the current non-commercial license: $43.50 (7-12 months), $65.50 (13-24), $87.50 (25-36), $109.50 (37-48) pa.gov | Initial: the prorated 'Upgrade From Non-Commercial To Commercial' fee ($43.50 to $109.50, see clp); 4-year CDL renewal $127.50 pa.gov | not published | $21.50 to upgrade a commercial class or endorsement on an existing CDL pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | $73.50 (new CLP) dmv.ri.gov | $43.50 for a new CDL issued from a CLP (renewal is $103.50 for 5 years) dmv.ri.gov | $103.50 dmv.ri.gov | not published |
| South Carolina | $2.50 for the CLP (plus $15 application fee and $2 per knowledge test) scdmvonline.com | $25 for an 8-year license plus the $15 CDL application fee scdmvonline.com | $25 for each retest after a failed skills test (no first-attempt fee published) scdmvonline.com | not published |
| South Dakota | $43 sd.gov | $43 sd.gov | $150 plus tax (charged by third-party testers) sd.gov | $20 per endorsement test sd.gov |
| Tennessee | Class A $14 ($8 permit + $6 application); Class B or C $13 ($7 + $6); valid 1 year tn.gov | Class A $70 for 8 years ($64 license + $6 application); Class B or C $62 for 8 years ($56 + $6) tn.gov | not published | $8.50 per endorsement ($2.50 + $6 application) for tanker, passenger, hazmat, doubles/triples; school bus $26 ($20 + $6) tn.gov |
| Texas | $25 (expires 180 days from issuance) dps.texas.gov | $97 for 8 years (age 18 to 84); $61 for 5 years with hazmat endorsement dps.texas.gov | not published | $11 (the 'Replacement CDL / CLP' fee, which covers a test to add or remove endorsements or restrictions) dps.texas.gov |
| Utah | not published | $52 application (Class A, B or C, 5-year expiration); knowledge tests included dld.utah.gov | $78 (retake $52) at DLD; third-party testers set their own fee dld.utah.gov | $9 per endorsement dld.utah.gov |
| Vermont | $18 for 1 year (no renewals) dmv.vermont.gov | $108 for 4 years (or $72 for 2 years) dmv.vermont.gov | $39 road test, plus a $29 scheduling deposit dmv.vermont.gov | $17 per endorsement test dmv.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | $3 dmv.virginia.gov | $64 for 8 years dmv.virginia.gov | not published | $1 per endorsement per year dmv.virginia.gov |
| West Virginia | not published | Depends on 'calculated age'; e.g. $43.75 for five (5) years webapps.transportation.wv.gov | $100, paid to the third-party examiner; $50 no-show fee webapps.transportation.wv.gov | $10 per endorsement; adding one later also costs a $7.50 duplicate license fee dmv.wv.gov |
| Wisconsin | $30 (180 days) wisconsindot.gov | $74 (original is prorated for time left on the existing Wisconsin license; renewal is 8 years and includes Class D) wisconsindot.gov | Up to $150 for the full skills test at a third-party tester ($50 per segment) wisconsindot.gov | $5 per endorsement plus a $10 issuance fee when upgrading; first-time school bus endorsement $10 wisconsindot.gov |
| Wyoming | $45 dot.state.wy.us | $55 dot.state.wy.us | $85 (paid before the test is scheduled) dot.state.wy.us | not published |
Every figure links to the state's own page or manual, last checked November 4, 2026. "Not published" means we could not find it on an official state page; ask the state. Washington is not listed: DLA Academy does not serve Washington.
What ELDT training costs across providers
Across FMCSA-registered ELDT training providers, the online theory course typically runs **$23–$75**. DLA Academy is $20 per course. There is no federally mandated price — FMCSA sets the curriculum and registers providers, it does not regulate what they charge, which is why the spread is so wide for what is legally the same product.
What is identical at every registered provider: the curriculum (fixed by FMCSA in Appendix A to Part 380), the registration of your completion with the federal Training Provider Registry, and the legal weight of that completion in all 49 states that accept it. What differs: the price, how long the course takes, and how aggressively you are upsold at checkout.
If your only question is which is cheapest, the main DLA Academy site keeps a maintained comparison at Cheapest FMCSA-Registered ELDT Online (2026). This page is about what the price actually buys and what it leaves out.
Cost per course, and what a bundle changes
ELDT is priced per course, not per driver, and you only need the courses that match what you are getting licensed for. At DLA Academy each individual course — Hazmat, CDL-A, CDL-B, Passenger, School Bus — is $20. Someone adding a single endorsement to an existing CDL pays $20 and is done.
Bundles matter if you need more than one. The three-endorsement bundle (Hazmat + Passenger + School Bus) is $50 rather than $60 bought separately, and the CDL A ELDT + Permit Prep bundle (CDL-A theory + CDL Permit Practice Test) is $30 rather than $35. If you are only ever going to drive one class of vehicle, a bundle is wasted money — buy the single course.
What the ELDT price does not include
This is where budgets go wrong. The ELDT theory fee covers the federal *theory* requirement only. For a first-time CDL-A or CDL-B, you also need **behind-the-wheel training** at a local FMCSA-registered BTW provider — that is conducted in a real vehicle, is priced separately, and is typically the largest single line item in getting licensed by a wide margin. No online provider can supply it, and any that claims to should be treated with suspicion. See ELDT vs CDL School.
On top of that sit your state's DMV fees — the CLP fee, the license fee, and per-endorsement fees — which each state sets independently and changes periodically. And if you are adding Hazmat, the federal TSA threat assessment is roughly $88.25 (about $41 if you hold a valid TWIC), paid to the government, not to a training provider. All-in for Hazmat, training plus TSA plus the state fee, typically lands around $110–$150.
Endorsements that require no ELDT at all are worth knowing about, because they cost nothing in training: Tanker (N) and Doubles/Triples (T) are knowledge-test only. Our endorsement guide covers which require ELDT and which do not.
Is there an "ELDT certificate"? Not really
A common search is for an ELDT certificate, and it is worth being precise: there is no certificate that carries legal weight. When you finish an approved course, the provider transmits your completion to the FMCSA **Training Provider Registry**, and your state DMV queries that federal registry directly before letting you take the skills or endorsement test. The record in the registry is the thing that counts.
Providers may issue a completion document for your files, and that is fine, but no DMV will accept a printed certificate in place of the registry entry. If a provider implies a certificate is what unlocks your test, that is a signal to check whether they are genuinely on the registry — you can verify any provider, including DLA Academy, by name at https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. See also Is $20 ELDT legit?
Does a cheaper course mean a worse one?
Not on the dimension that matters legally. Approval is binary — a provider is on the federal registry or it is not, and an approved $20 course satisfies the mandate exactly as completely as an approved $75 one. The curriculum is federally specified, so the topics covered are the same by regulation.
Where price can legitimately differ is delivery: video production, instructor support, how long the course runs, whether it works properly on a phone. Those are real differences and worth paying for if you value them. What price cannot change is whether the completion is accepted. The one thing worth checking before you buy anything is that the provider appears by name on the registry at https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.
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Bundles cost less than the same courses bought one at a time, and every price below is the bundled price.
Not sure which one? Every bundle is listed here, with what each one contains.
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