New Jersey CDL Requirements

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) issues CDLs in three classes following federal standards. Applicants must be 18 for intrastate or 21 for interstate. New Jersey requires a valid NJ driver license, Social Security card, six points of ID verification (NJ's stringent point system), and US citizenship/legal presence. ELDT requirements apply. New Jersey has approximately 50 FMCSA-registered ELDT providers, concentrated in the northern and central NJ metro areas near the ports.

The New Jersey CDL costs $42 for a 4-year license. The CLP costs $125 and is valid for 180 days — one of the more expensive CLPs nationally. Knowledge tests are administered at MVC agencies at no additional charge. Skills tests are available at MVC Commercial Driving Test Center (Wayne, Lodi, Eatontown) or through third-party testers at $300-$500. New Jersey MVC CDL testing wait times can be 4-8 weeks for state-administered tests due to high demand. Third-party testing provides faster but more expensive scheduling.

New Jersey CDL training includes County College of Morris, Raritan Valley Community College, and private schools at $3,500-$9,000. Smith & Solomon (Linden) is a well-known regional CDL school. New Jersey Department of Labor provides WIOA training funds. Endorsements follow federal standards. Most in-demand: T (Double/Triple, for port intermodal operations), H (Hazmat, for pharmaceutical and chemical corridor), N (Tank, for fuel distribution), and P (Passenger, for NJ Transit bus operations). The port and pharmaceutical corridor create premium CDL employment with above-average wages.