Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) is the minimum Federal requirement for training that entry-level drivers must complete before being permitted to take certain Commercial Driver License (CDL) knowledge or road skills tests.

This includes those applying to:

• Obtain a CDL Class A or Class B for the first time
• Upgrade an existing CDL Class B to a Class A
• Obtain a School Bus (S), Passenger (P), or Hazardous Materials (H) endorsement

ELDT requirements apply to all individuals who were issued a CDL or an S, P, or H endorsement after Feb. 7, 2022. They are not retroactive and are not required to complete training for the respective CDL or endorsement.

If an applicant who obtains a CLP prior to Feb. 7, 2022, obtains a CDL before the CLP or renewed CLP expires, the applicant is not subject to the ELDT requirements.

Any driver who meets one of the exceptions for taking a skills test in 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 383 is also exempt from the ELDT requirements.