Behind-the-Wheel & ELDT Training
Finish Entry-Level Driver Training with an FMCSA-registered provider if you're a first-time Class A/B applicant.
Find an ELDT providerArkansas CDL Prep
Arkansas CDL Permit Practice Tests & Study Guide
Everything you need to get your Arkansas commercial learner's permit — the steps, the DOT medical exam, training requirements, and realistic practice tests aligned with the Arkansas CDL manual.
How to Get a CDL Permit in Arkansas
In Arkansas, commercial learner's permits and CDLs are issued by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Use the facts and steps below for ages, hold times, and what to do next.
50Test questions
80%Passing score
14 daysCLP hold period
- Minimum age
- 18 intrastate / 21 interstate
- CLP validity
- 365 days
- Retest wait
- 5 days
- Triple trailers
- Not permitted on state roadways
Age, validity & retest
- Minimum age
- 18 intrastate / 21 interstate
- CLP validity
- 365 days
- Retest wait
- 5 days
- Triple trailers
- Not permitted on state roadways
Step-by-step process
Confirm you're eligible
Hold a valid base license and meet Arkansas age rules — 18 in-state, 21 for interstate or hazmat.
Pass the DOT medical exam
Get a DOT physical from a certified examiner and get your medical certificate on file with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
Study the CDL manual
Read the official Arkansas CDL manual and practice until you're ready for the written exams.
Pass the written tests and get your CLP
Pass the required knowledge tests (80% to pass) at the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and get your CLP.
Hold your CLP for 14 days
Practice with a qualified CDL holder for 14 days before you can take the skills test.
Complete ELDT if required
Finish Entry-Level Driver Training with an FMCSA-registered provider if you're a first-time Class A/B applicant.
Pass the skills test and get your CDL
Pass the pre-trip, basic controls, and road test to upgrade your CLP to a full CDL.
Choose Your CDL Class: A, B, or C
The class you need depends on the vehicle you plan to drive in Arkansas. Pick your class to see the tests and study material that apply to you.
CDL
Class A CDL
Tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, and large combination vehicles with a GCWR over 26,001 pounds.
CDL
Class B CDL
Straight trucks, dump trucks, box trucks, and large buses over 26,001 pounds GVWR.
CDL
Class C CDL
Passenger vehicles and hazmat loads that do not fit Class A or B but still require a CDL.
Health requirement
DOT Medical Card / DOT Physical
Before the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration issues your CDL, you must pass a DOT physical — a medical exam performed by a certified examiner that confirms you're fit to operate a commercial vehicle.
The examiner checks your vision, hearing, blood pressure, and general health, then issues a Medical Examiner's Certificate (often called a "DOT medical card"). You file this with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, and it must be renewed periodically to keep your CDL valid.
- Required for most CDL applicants before a permit or license is issued
- Performed by an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry
- Results in a Medical Examiner's Certificate (DOT medical card)
- Must be kept current — typically renewed every 24 months or sooner
Behind-the-Wheel CDL Training & DOT Medical Examiners
Two federal requirements you'll handle outside the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration testing office.
Finding a DOT Medical Examiner
Your DOT physical must be done by an FMCSA-certified examiner. Use the National Registry to find one near you.
Find a certified medical examinerArkansas CDL Permit Study Plan
A simple order to study in so you're ready for every test section on your permit exam.
Start with the general knowledge test
Every Arkansas CDL applicant takes this test. Study it first, then take full-length practice tests until you consistently score above 80%.
Practice core testsAdd the tests for your class
Study Air Brakes if your vehicle has them, and Combination Vehicles if you're going for a Class A. Focus on one section at a time.
See class testsLayer in your endorsements
If your job needs hazmat, tanker, passenger, school bus, or doubles/triples, study those sections once your core tests feel solid.
Browse endorsements- Before test day
Review missed questions before test day
Retake practice tests, review every explanation for questions you miss, and only schedule your exam once you pass consistently.
Try a sample quiz
Core tests · Steps 01–02
CDL test sections to study
Add-ons · Step 03
Optional endorsements
Prepare with PrepCDL
Study smarter, practice faster, and walk into your CDL exam prepared.
1000+ Practice Questions
Practice with exam-style questions covering CDL rules, safety, inspections, endorsements, and real test topics.
State-Specific CDL Prep
Study material tailored to your state's CDL manual so you focus on the rules that matter for your test.
Realistic Exam Practice
Build confidence with practice tests, randomized questions, progress tracking, and detailed answer explanations.
Question 1 of 5
What is the most important reason for doing a vehicle inspection?
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from CDL applicants in Arkansas.
Do I need Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) in Arkansas?
Yes. Arkansas follows federal ELDT for first-time Class A or B applicants, Class B to A upgrades, and first-time passenger, school bus, or hazmat endorsements. Finish training with an FMCSA Training Provider Registry school before skills testing (or before the hazmat knowledge test). Check your provider at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Do I need a DOT medical certificate for a CDL in Arkansas?
Yes when your self-certification requires it. Certify interstate or intrastate, excepted or non-excepted, with every license transaction. Non-excepted drivers need a Medical Examiner's Certificate; expired medicals trigger a Not Certified status, and after 60 days your CDL or CLP can be downgraded. Non-excepted intrastate drivers may still submit a paper medical card at a revenue office, by email, or by mail. If your CDL is downgraded or surrendered for one year or more, you must retake all CDL exam phases.
What do I need to bring to apply for a CDL permit in Arkansas?
Buy a CDL-1 Form at a DFA Revenue Office first, then bring a valid Arkansas driver's license, proof of legal presence (birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization or citizenship certificate, Permanent Resident Card, or Employment Authorization Card — Canada and Mexico EAD cards are not accepted), and name-change documents if your license name differs. Present the current CDL-1 Form and legal presence proof at every Arkansas State Police testing visit.
Do I need a background check for a hazmat endorsement in Arkansas?
Yes. Pass the hazmat knowledge test and complete a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprinting — allow at least 90 days. Arkansas will not issue hazmat if you fail the TSA assessment, and you cannot transfer the remaining validity of an HME from another state. First-time applicants also need hazmat ELDT before the knowledge test. Start at tsa.gov/for-industry/hazmat-endorsement or call 855-347-8371.
How much do Arkansas CDL permits and tests cost?
Purchase a CDL-1 Form (test packet) from a DFA Revenue Office for about $50 — it covers knowledge and skills testing and expires one year from purchase. Three failures on one application require another $50 form. Adding an endorsement by knowledge test is $10 per endorsement (one attempt). After you pass skills testing, return to DFA to be issued your CDL.
Do Class A CDL applicants need human trafficking training in Arkansas?
Yes. Act 922 requires a Human Trafficking Prevention Course for issuance or renewal of a Class A CDL. Complete the Truckers Against Trafficking course at truckersagainsttrafficking.org and present an accepted certificate to DFA Driver Services.
Where can I take the Arkansas CDL skills test?
Arkansas State Police administers CDL skills tests only at Troop A (Little Rock), Troop B (Newport), Troop G (Hope), Troop I (Harrison), Troop J (Russellville), and Troop L (Lowell). Knowledge tests are available at all troop testing sites. Schedule appointments through the ASP Driver Examination page.
Does Arkansas offer a restricted farm CDL?
Yes. Under 49 CFR 383.3(f), Arkansas may issue a restricted CDL to employees of certain farm-related service industries (agri-chemical, custom harvesters, farm retail outlets, livestock feeders) with a good driving record. It is limited to Group B and C vehicles, seasonal periods totaling no more than 210 days per year, and operation within 150 miles of the farm or business served — no unrestricted endorsements, and placarded hazmat is generally prohibited except limited diesel and fertilizer quantities.
Does PrepCDL cover Arkansas?
Yes. PrepCDL includes state-specific study guides and practice questions aligned with the Arkansas CDL manual, plus prep for every class and endorsement.