By VidMira · November 4, 2026
A good NJ CDL practice test gets you ready for the first big step toward a commercial driver license (CDL): the general knowledge test. In New Jersey it is a 50-question test, and you need 80% to pass. Many people call it the NJ DMV CDL test; it is given by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC).
Before you start: who can apply
You cannot apply for a New Jersey CDL until you hold a valid basic Class D New Jersey license or a valid out-of-state CDL (Driver Manual, p. 24). The main age rules:
- You must be at least 18 (Driver Manual, p. 8).
- Under 21, you may drive commercial vehicles only inside New Jersey (intrastate), and you cannot get a HAZMAT or passenger endorsement (Driver Manual, p. 8).
- For interstate driving, or a hazardous materials, school bus or passenger endorsement, you must be 21 with three years of driving experience.
CDL classes: A, B and C
The commercial driver manual sets three basic classes (CDL Manual, p. 1-1):
- Class A: any combination with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, when the towed vehicle(s) have a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. A Class A driver may also drive Class B and C vehicles.
- Class B: a single vehicle rated at 26,001 pounds GVWR or more, including one towing a vehicle rated at 10,000 pounds GVWR or less. Class B drivers may also drive Class C vehicles.
- Class C: a single vehicle under 26,001 pounds GVWR needs a CDL only if it is built to carry 16 or more people counting the driver, or it hauls placardable hazardous materials or a select agent or toxin.
New Jersey adds two vehicle types to Class C that are easy to miss: any bus or other vehicle designed for 8 to 15 passengers (driver included) that is used for hire, and all school vehicles designed for 15 passengers or fewer, driver included (Driver Manual, p. 25).
Endorsements, including the NJ hazmat endorsement
Most commercial drivers need at least one endorsement (Driver Manual, p. 26). New Jersey lists these:
- T (double and triple trailers): knowledge test; a Class A license is required.
- P (passenger): road test; you must be 21 with 3 years' driving experience.
- S (school bus): needed by all school bus drivers, who must also test for P. Both are required.
- N (tanker): for vehicles carrying liquids or gas in bulk; knowledge test.
- H (hazardous materials): knowledge test; you must be 21.
The CDL manual also describes the X endorsement, the combination of hazardous materials and tank vehicle (CDL Manual, p. 1-2). There is no air brake endorsement, but a special road test is federally required for vehicles with air brakes; if you do not take and pass it, a restriction is added to your CDL.
The NJ hazmat endorsement (HME) has extra steps. The TSA fingerprints and runs a background check on every CDL holder who applies for, renews or transfers it, and the whole process costs $86.50. Since 2/7/22, hazmat applicants must also finish Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before the knowledge test. The HAZMAT knowledge test is given in English only.
How the NJ CDL knowledge test works
To get a CDL you pass a vision test, a knowledge test and a road test. Here is the knowledge part, step by step:
- Get an examination test receipt. Make an appointment, bring your 6 Points of ID, and tell the MVC the vehicle type and endorsements you want, so you get the right tests. The fee is $125, non-refundable.
- Take the general knowledge test. It has 50 questions and you need at least 80% correct. Tests are multiple choice on a computer, in English or Spanish. No audio tests or interpreters.
- Take each endorsement test. Each endorsement has its own separate test, and you must pass the general knowledge test before any endorsement test.
If you fail, wait seven days before trying again. There is no limit on attempts while the test receipt is valid (180 days); after that it must be renewed for $125.00. All CDL tests are based on the MVC's Commercial Driver Manual (Driver Manual, p. 27).
The commercial learner permit (CLP)
After you pass, your test receipt is validated and you present it with the CDL Holder Self-Certification Form (and a medical examiner's certificate on file, if one is required) to get your CLP. Key rules:
- The CLP is valid for 180 days and is now digital; paper CLPs are no longer issued.
- When you drive a commercial vehicle, the CLP must be accompanied by your New Jersey driver's license.
- You practice for 14 days with another CDL-licensed person before the road test, unless this is waived.
- A CLP can carry only three endorsements: P, N and S (CDL Manual, p. 1-2). With P or S it also gets the "no passengers" restriction; with N, the "no cargo in the tank" restriction.
What to study
The general knowledge test is taken by all CDL applicants (CDL Manual, p. 1-5). The main topics in the commercial driver manual include:
- Vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control and shifting gears
- Seeing and communicating, speed and space management, and seeing hazards
- Night, fog, winter and hot-weather driving; railroad crossings and mountain driving
- Driving emergencies, antilock brakes, skid control, accident procedures and fires
- Alcohol, drugs, staying alert, and the basic hazmat rules every driver must know
- Transporting cargo safely and transporting passengers safely
Depending on your vehicle and endorsements, you may also take other knowledge tests, which have their own chapters: air brakes, combination vehicles, doubles and triples, tank vehicles, hazardous materials and school buses. If your vehicle has air brakes, including air over hydraulic, you take the air brakes test too. For how the car permit test works, see our NJ permit practice test guide.
Sample NJ CDL practice test questions
1. A tractor and trailer have a combined GCWR of 40,000 pounds. The trailer's GVWR is 12,000 pounds. Which class does this combination fall into?
Answer: Class A. GCWR of 26,001 or more with a towed unit over 10,000 pounds GVWR is Class A (CDL Manual, p. 1-1).
2. A Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) can carry only which endorsements?
Answer: Passenger (P), Tank vehicle (N) and School bus (S). Only P, S and N may be added to a CLP (CDL Manual, p. 1-2).
3. The Tank Vehicle (N) endorsement applies when one tank is rated to hold more than ___ gallons and all tanks together are rated at 1,000 gallons or more.
Answer: 119. The tank thresholds are more than 119 gallons individual and 1,000 gallons or more aggregate (CDL Manual, p. 1-2).
Practice with the app
NJ DMV Permit Practice Test includes a CDL section with a study guide by topic and practice questions written from the commercial driver manual, each answer explained with its manual page. Its CDL practice test asks 50 questions, passes at 40, and has no timer. You can study in English or Spanish, and everything in the app is free. Get the free NJ DMV Permit Practice Test app.
Sources
The facts in this guide come from the Commercial Driver's License Manual (AAMVA, March 2025 version, published by the NJ MVC), the CDL section of the New Jersey Driver Manual (2026 edition), and the NJ MVC pages CDL testing and Knowledge test, plus the MVC's CDL FAQ, eligibility, endorsements, learner permit and hazmat pages at nj.gov/mvc.
Checked against the New Jersey Driver Manual (2026 edition) on November 4, 2026. Rules can change; the NJ MVC's own pages at nj.gov/mvc always win. NJ DMV Permit Practice Test is an independent study app by VidMira LLC. It is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or any government agency.
More New Jersey permit test guides
All New Jersey permit test guides
VidMira LLC is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC) or any government agency.