Commercial Driver's License Guide: Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire

If you live in Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire, check this round up of state guidelines and see what you’ll need to do to be certified to drive safely behind the wheel of a commercial rig! If you want to learn about earning a CDL at other states, we have put together a comprehensive guide on how to get a commercial driver's license in every state of the country.

Maine

To obtain a CDL:

• You must have a valid noncommercial license from your current state
• Your license cannot be under suspension or revoked
• You must not have been convicted of a disqualifying crime in the last 5 years.

You can get an application from any Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles office or online.

Written and Skills Exams

You will schedule separate appointments for your written and skills exams. You will receive a notice with the date, location, and time for your written test, which will include additional testing for each endorsement you hope to obtain. On your testing day, you must take an eye exam. If you successfully pass the written and eye exams, you'll receive a learner's permit and a skills exam request card. You must self-certify your type of vehicle operation with the Maine BMV in one of the following driving categories:

• Non-Excepted Interstate
• Excepted Interstate
• Non-Excepted Intrastate
• Excepted Intrastate

If you choose Non-Excepted Interstate, you must provide the BMV with a federal medical certificate.

New Hampshire

Drivers who currently hold a valid New Hampshire operator's license and wish to add commercial classifications may appear at any DMV office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to begin testing. On that day, you must bring:

• A current valid New Hampshire license
• An application
• A valid, up-to-date medical card

Every applicant is required to pass a vision test and the CDL General Knowledge Test. Based on the desired classifications and endorsements, you will be asked to take additional knowledge tests. Make sure you know everything you will have to take before you arrive on your testing day. Once you have passed your required knowledge tests, you will schedule a road skills test for the appropriate endorsements and classifications.

Vermont

Requirements

• You must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid Vermont Class D Operator’s License to obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit.
• You must be at least 18 years old to obtain a CDL and operate a commercial vehicle within Vermont (Intrastate commerce).
• You must be at least 21 years old to operate a commercial motor vehicle between Vermont and another state (Interstate commerce).
• You must be 18 years old to obtain the Hazardous Materials Endorsement for Intrastate commerce and 21 years of age to obtain the Hazardous Materials Endorsement for Interstate commerce.

What to Bring

• All Driver Licenses or Learner Permits issued to you by any state
• Birth certificate
• Proof of residency
• Proof of legal presence, if applicable
• Social Security Number
• Department of Transportation (DOT) Medical Card, if applicable
• The vehicle used for the skills test must have a valid inspection sticker and meet all inspection requirements

You must also file for a CDL Medical Self-Certification. Good luck!