Licensing
How to get a CDL in Illinois
Each line is from a Illinois licensing page opened . A line that says the page did not state a fee is not an estimate.
Compare CDL schools in Illinois
- Minimum age
- The Secretary of State says you must be at least 18 to apply for a commercial learner permit or CDL for intrastate driving, and at least 21 to operate in interstate commerce or to transport passengers.
- CLP fee
- 625 ILCS 5/6-118 sets a commercial learner’s permit at $50 when it is issued to a person who holds a valid Illinois driver’s license in order to change to a CDL classification. That $50 is $6 for the CDLIS/AAMVAnet/NMVTIS Trust Fund, $20 for the Motor Carrier Safety Inspection Fund, and $24 for the CDL classification. A permit issued to a person who already holds a valid Illinois CDL, to change a classification, endorsement, or restriction, is $5.
- CDL fee
- The same section sets an original or renewal commercial driver’s license at $60. That total is $6 for the CDLIS/AAMVAnet/NMVTIS Trust Fund, $20 for the Motor Carrier Safety Inspection Fund, $10 for the driver’s license, and $24 for the CDL. A duplicate or corrected CDL is $5. The Secretary of State may prorate the $24 CDL portion to the expiration date of the applicant’s Illinois driver’s license. No additional fee is charged for a CDL issued to the holder of an instruction permit for the same classification who becomes eligible for that license.
- Skills-test fee
- Not stated as a separate dollar amount on the pages checked. The commercial page requires the permit to be held at least 14 days before the skills and drive test.
- ELDT
- The commercial page says that, effective February 7, 2022, a passenger, school bus, or hazardous materials endorsement applicant must complete entry-level driver training before the relevant test. The page does not state an hour minimum.
- Medical card
- Applicants self-certify intrastate or interstate medical driving status. A driver who declares non-excepted interstate must provide an acceptable medical certificate, and must give the office later updates before that certificate or a medical variance expires.
Sources
Questions drivers ask
What does a CDL cost in Illinois?
Only the amounts printed on the official page checked October 29, 2026. If a permit, license, or skills-test line was missing, this page says so instead of borrowing a figure from another state.
Is the minimum age in Illinois 21?
Use the age sentence on this page. It is the age the state page stated. Interstate work can still have a different federal age.
Does this page issue the license?
No. 625 ILCS 5/6-118 is the licensing source. This page does not take an application.
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