Ohio CDL Requirements – How do I get the License?

Ricky

22 November, 2021

Ohio CDL Requirements – Know everything you need to obtain your business license in the state of Ohio. What documents you must present, which offices to go to, and all the information below.

What is the Ohio CDL License?

The CDL is the license to drive commercial vehicles of various types and specifications, such as trucks, for the transport of goods or other materials. It also includes applicants to drive passenger or school buses, for example.

Naturally, to drive this type of vehicle or machinery, it is necessary to gather a series of specific knowledge and very specific driving skills.

Business licenses are divided into 3 broad categories or classes, for which things such as the weight and size of the vehicle, whether it is towing a trailer, and the type of materials being transported are taken into account.

Type of CDL licenses in Ohio

Class A CDL

With a Class A commercial driver’s license, any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds can be operated. The towed vehicle must weigh more than 10,000 pounds.

Class A allows you to drive: Tractors, Tankers, Truck-Trailer Combinations, and Livestock Haulers.

Class B CDL

A Class B business license allows you to operate individual or combination vehicles with a gross weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds. The towed vehicle must not weigh more than 10,000 pounds.

With a class B license plus the corresponding endorsements, you can drive box trucks, tractors, segmented buses, and large passenger buses.

Class C CDL

Class C allows you to operate any vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver. You can also drive a single or combined vehicle for the transport of hazardous materials, these tasks carry endorsements for which it is necessary to pass written and practical tests.

Ohio CDL Requirements

To obtain the commercial license in any of its variables, it is necessary to gather a set of documents that prove your data.

Minimum of 18 years (only to drive within the State, with restrictions)

21 years to drive in and out of the state of Ohio without restrictions

Driver’s License D Validated by the State of Ohio

Document of proof of residence in the state (the Social Security number is requested)

Medical examination approval document

Pass vision test

Prospective commercial truckers must self-certify with a medical examination by doctors licensed by the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Find here the list of authorized doctors.

How to get the CDL in Ohio?

Once you have met all the requirements for a CDL in Ohio, you will need to apply for a commercial learner driver’s permit, also called a CDIP (Commercial Driving Instruction Permit).

See: CDL New York Requirements – How do I get the license?

What am I allowed to do with the CDIP?

Anyone with a CDIP is allowed to drive a commercial motor vehicle on a highway if and only if they are accompanied by the holder of a commercial driver’s license, valid specifically for the type of vehicle driven.

This allows the aspiring CDL driver to practice and gain experience in front of a vehicle with similar characteristics to those that he will use in his work.

To continue with the process, you must pass the driving test that includes a series of knowledge of the vehicle and others such as:

Pre-trip vehicle inspection
basic maneuverability
a road test

Remember that the CDIP is valid for six months, once it expires it cannot be renewed. A new permit must be paid for and vision and knowledge tests retested.

The cost of the CDIP is $27.00

What is the cost of the License?

The total cost of the CDL will depend on the type of license for which it is applied, for some activities specific permits and tests are required that have their costs.

So that you can calculate how much your CDL can cost, we present the different current rates for the different CDL classes.