Massachusetts CDL Requirements

How to get a CDL in Massachusetts through the RMV, including fees and training options.

CDL Classes and Eligibility

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) issues CDLs in three classes. Class A covers combination vehicles over 26,001 lbs towing over 10,000 lbs. Class B covers single vehicles over 26,001 lbs. Class C covers hazmat or passenger vehicles. Applicants must be 18 for intrastate or 21 for interstate. Massachusetts requires a valid MA driver license, Social Security card, proof of Massachusetts residency, and US citizenship/legal presence. ELDT requirements apply. Massachusetts has approximately 30 FMCSA-registered ELDT providers, concentrated in the Boston metro, Springfield, and Worcester areas.

Testing and Fees

The Massachusetts CDL costs $75 for a 5-year license. The CLP costs $30 and is valid for 180 days. Knowledge tests are administered at RMV locations at no additional charge. Skills tests are available at limited RMV locations or through third-party testers at $250-$450. The state has few CDL skills testing locations — Wilmington and Chicopee are the primary sites. Wait times can be 4-8 weeks for state-administered tests, making third-party testing very popular. Knowledge tests are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (reflecting Massachusetts' large Portuguese-speaking community). The state allows three skills test attempts before requiring additional training.

Training and Endorsements

Massachusetts CDL training includes Quinsigamond Community College (Worcester), Mount Wachusett Community College (Gardner), and Bristol Community College (Fall River) at $3,000-$6,000. Private schools charge $4,000-$9,000. MassHire Career Centers provide WIOA training assistance. Endorsements follow federal standards. The most in-demand in Massachusetts are P (Passenger, for MBTA bus and transit operations), H (Hazmat, for biotech/pharma distribution), and N (Tank, for heating oil and fuel delivery). New England Tractor Trailer Training School (NETTTS) is the largest private CDL school in the region with multiple Massachusetts locations.

FAQs — Massachusetts CDL Requirements

The Massachusetts CDL is $75 for 5 years. CLP is $30. Third-party skills testing runs $250-$450. CDL school costs $3,000-$6,000 at community colleges or $4,000-$9,000 at private schools. MassHire offers WIOA training funds. Wait times for state skills tests are 4-8 weeks.

Yes. Massachusetts offers CDL knowledge tests in English, Spanish, and Portuguese — reflecting the state's large Brazilian and Portuguese community. This is unusual among US states and helps serve the New England immigrant trucking workforce.

Passenger (P) is valuable for MBTA bus operations — a major employer. Hazmat (H) serves the biotech/pharma distribution corridor. Tank (N) is essential for heating oil delivery — critical in New England winters. The combined X endorsement is in demand for fuel distribution.