Kentucky CDL practice test
Published Updated Licensing sources checked:
How do I prepare for the Kentucky CDL knowledge test?
If you are preparing for your first permit, start with general knowledge and the official Kentucky instructions below. If your vehicle needs air brakes or combination vehicles, add those federal study sets; for hazardous materials, use the separate hazmat set. Compare the state’s published test rules with its current manual before you test. These practice sets teach federal topics and do not copy the state exam.
This page is study material. It is not the Kentucky state exam, and it does not copy state test questions. Check the official Kentucky pages below before you test.
| Your situation | Start with… |
|---|---|
| A quick first try | Take a 10-question warm-up |
| Ready for a longer attempt | Take the 50-question general knowledge exam |
| Need state rules or documents | Check the Kentucky application steps |
Kentucky official commercial driver manual (PDF) — link checked . Study its rules alongside our federal-standard bank. Our 50-question exam length is a study setting; use the official counts below for Kentucky.
Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet links the Kentucky State Police CDL manual. Its knowledge-test pages, checked November 12, 2026, print the question counts below and an 80 percent passing score for each test. Use the current KYTC web instructions for applications and medical certification alongside the manual; our federal practice sessions do not copy Kentucky exam questions.
Which tests do I need in Kentucky?
| Your vehicle or work | Required study and tests |
|---|---|
| All permit applicants | Start with general knowledge. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Class A combination vehicle | Add combination vehicles. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Vehicle with air brakes | Add air brakes and check restriction rules. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Passenger vehicle | Add passenger testing. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| School bus | Study school bus and passenger topics; check state requirements. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Tank vehicle | Add tank vehicle testing. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Hazardous materials | Add hazmat testing and check approval and training steps. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
| Doubles or triples | Add doubles and triples testing; check vehicle limits. Official requirements. Federal warm-up · Federal exam mode |
Check the current Kentucky agency instructions for your vehicle, endorsements and application. Our federal study sets do not copy state exam questions or supply unprinted exam figures.
Before booking the exam, check Kentucky CDL application steps and official fee lines.
| Test | Questions | To pass | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| General knowledge | 50 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Combination vehicles, for Class A | 20 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Air brakes, if applicable | 25 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Passenger | 20 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Tank vehicle | 20 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| School bus | 20 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Hazardous materials | 30 questions | 80 percent | State source |
| Doubles and triples | 20 questions | 80 percent | State source |
Kentucky language, permit and booking notes — checked 2026-11-12
KYTC lists a $3 NCIC background-check fee and a CLP fee of $11, or $14 for REAL ID. These are separate fee lines, not a complete testing or licensing total. Official source — checked .
KYTC requires the CLP to be held at least 14 days before the skills test. If a written test is failed, wait 24 hours before retaking it. Official source — checked .
KYTC allows written or oral knowledge testing, but no oral hazardous-materials test. First-time hazmat applicants complete TSA approval and the required ELDT before the hazmat knowledge test. Official source — checked .
Use KYTC’s current medical-certification instructions: medical examiners submit certificates electronically to the FMCSA National Registry, and applicants use myDrive for online CDL services. The older myCDL upload instructions in the linked manual are superseded by the KYTC web page. Official source — checked .
For unknown figures, check with the Kentucky licensing agency. A blank count is not an estimate.
Federal study sets, not the Kentucky exam
Use general knowledge, air brakes, combination vehicles, and hazmat to study the federal topics. Finishing one of those sets does not mean you passed the Kentucky test.