How to Get a CDL in Hawaii
Six steps, in order, with the Hawaii numbers that actually matter. Median heavy-truck pay is $54K+ — and step one takes a day and costs $20.
FMCSA-compliant under 49 CFR Part 380 · Reported to the federal TPR · 7-day refund
The short version
- 01Check eligibility — 21 in-state and across state lines
- 02Finish ELDT theory training — today, $20
- 03Pass the Hawaii county driver-licensing offices knowledge test, get your CLP
- 04Behind-the-wheel practice, then the skills test
- 05DOT medical card on the national registry
- 06Upgrade the CLP to a full Hawaii CDL
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Am I eligible for a CDL in Hawaii?
You can get a Hawaii CDL at 21, which is the minimum here for driving commercially inside the state as well as across state lines, hauling hazmat, or transporting placarded loads. You need a Hawaii residential address, a valid Hawaii driver's license in good standing, and — for most classes — a current DOT medical certificate.
Disqualifiers are federal, not state: a suspended license, certain drug or alcohol convictions, or an open Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse prohibition will stop you at the counter. Clear those first — the rest of this page assumes you're eligible.
Licensing is county-administered (City and County of Honolulu | Hawaii County | Maui County | Kauai County), so procedures and some fee tiers vary by county. Applicant must already hold a valid Hawaii Class 3 driver's license. Maui County requires commercial permit applicants to be at least 21 and to present a traffic violations clearance letter from the Traffic Violations Bureau.
New to the requirement? What is ELDT? →
Step 1 · How do I complete ELDT theory training?
Since February 7, 2022, the FMCSA requires Entry-Level Driver Training before you can take the CDL knowledge test. Take the theory course from a provider on the federal Training Provider Registry, and your completion is reported electronically to the registry — usually within a day.
This step is not Hawaii-specific. The theory curriculum is standardized nationally under 49 CFR Part 380, so a $150 course and a $20 course put the identical record in the same federal registry. Paying more buys marketing, not a better certificate.
Do step 1 right now
Class A ELDT Theory Course
Self-paced · finishable in one day · lifetime access · no subscription
Need endorsements too? The All-Access bundle covers all 7 courses for $49.
Step 2 · How do I get a Hawaii CDL learner's permit?
Once your ELDT completion is in the federal registry, take your documents to a Hawaii county driver-licensing offices driver exam station and pass the general knowledge test plus any endorsement tests. The agency issues your commercial learner's permit (CLP), and you must hold it at least 14 days before the skills test.
- Permit fee: $30.00 permit application fee; knowledge tests billed separately - $15.00 general knowledge | $5.00 each special/endorsement test | $15.00-$30.00 additional for the aural (oral) test
Bring with you — per the HI checklist
- Completed Hawaii Commercial Driver's License Application
- certified U.S. birth certificate or other proof of legal presence
- valid Hawaii driver's license (Class 3)
- Social Security card
- two proofs of Hawaii principal residence
- DOT medical examiner's certificate (Form MCSA-5876)
Knowledge test covers
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Passenger
- School Bus
- Doubles/Triples
Step 3 · Do I need behind-the-wheel training?
Yes. ELDT has two halves: the theory course you finished in step 1, and behind-the-wheel (BTW) training on a range and on public roads. BTW must be done in person with a registered provider, has no minimum hour requirement, and ends when an instructor judges you proficient.
Your CLP lets you drive a commercial vehicle only with a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat. Most drivers do BTW through a local school or a carrier-sponsored program — look near Honolulu, Hilo, or Kailua.
Step 4 · How do I schedule the Hawaii skills test?
Hawaii runs CDL skills testing through examiners approved by the Hawaii county driver-licensing offices, and you schedule once your 14-day CLP hold is up. The test has three parts — pre-trip inspection, basic control skills, and an on-road drive — and you must supply a vehicle representing the class you're testing for.
- Skills test fee: $50.00 paid in advance to schedule the skills/road test; non-refundable - a failed test or a no-show forfeits the fee and rescheduling requires paying $50.00 again
- Applicant supplies a vehicle representative of the class applied for with valid registration, current DOT vehicle inspection and insurance; placarded (hazmat) vehicles not…
Honolulu: minimum one-week waiting period between a failed test and the retest. Hawaii County: no refund for a failed or missed practical test - the applicant must reschedule and pay the $50.00 skills test fee again.
Step 5 · Do I need a DOT medical card?
Almost certainly. Most CDL drivers must pass a DOT physical with an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry and file the certificate with the state. A standard card is good for up to 24 months; conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes can shorten that to 12 months or less.
Get this done before your Hawaii county driver-licensing offices visit — you'll need the certificate on file to be issued the CLP, so it isn't really step 5 in practice.
Step 6 · When do I actually get the CDL?
After you pass the skills test, you take the examiner's results and your CLP to the Hawaii county driver-licensing offices, pay the license fee, and are issued a temporary CDL on the spot. The permanent card arrives by mail, and your driving record shows the class and endorsements immediately.
Endorsements you skipped now can be added later — each one is a knowledge test, and Hazmat adds a TSA background check.
- License fee: $5.00 per year of the license term - $40.00 (8-year, ages 25-71) | $20.00 (4-year, ages 21-24) | $10.00 (2-year, age 72+ in Hawaii County / age 80+ in Maui County) | $15.00 duplicate or information change
- License term: 8 years
Compare your ELDT options
Same federal curriculum, same registry, same certificate. The difference is what you pay and how long it takes.
| ELDT HQ | Typical online | CDL school theory | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theory course price | $20 | $99 – $150 | Bundled, $3k – $8k total |
| All 7 endorsements | $49 bundle | $300+ | Varies |
| Time to complete | One day, self-paced | One day – two weeks | 3 – 8 weeks, fixed schedule |
| Reported to federal TPR | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Curriculum | 49 CFR Part 380 | 49 CFR Part 380 | 49 CFR Part 380 |
| Refund window | 7 days before starting | Often none | Enrollment contract |
Competitor figures are typical advertised ranges, not quotes. Behind-the-wheel training is priced separately by every provider, including us.
Hawaii CDL questions
No. Transferring an existing, valid CDL to Hawaii is a license transfer at the Hawaii county driver-licensing offices, not new training. ELDT is required only when you first obtain a Class A or B CDL, upgrade a class, or add a Hazmat, Passenger, or School Bus endorsement for the first time.
Most people take four to eight weeks. Theory training is one day, the CLP hold is 14 days minimum, and the rest is behind-the-wheel practice and how far out your skills test appointment lands. Metro testing sites book further out than rural ones.
It is if the provider is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry — that listing is the only thing that makes any theory course count. The curriculum is standardized in 49 CFR Part 380, so every registered provider teaches the same required topics.
No. Hawaii sets 21 as the minimum age for a commercial driver's license, including for driving entirely within the state. Twenty-one is also the federal minimum for interstate driving and for hauling placarded hazardous materials.
No. Our course is the theory half. Behind-the-wheel must be completed in person with a registered provider on a range and on public roads, and it is priced and scheduled separately.
No. ELDT is training, not an exam. You still take Hawaii's knowledge test for the CLP and the three-part skills test for the CDL, both administered by the state.
You retake only the portion you failed, but each attempt carries its own fee and requires a new appointment. Your CLP must still be valid on the retest date.
Add endorsements while you're at it
Each endorsement is another knowledge test — and more pay. All seven courses are $49 in the All-Access bundle.
Hazmat
Placarded loads. Adds a TSA background check and a knowledge test.
$20
Passenger
Buses, shuttles, motorcoaches. Required ELDT theory course.
$20
School Bus
Highest-demand seasonal work. ELDT theory required.
$20
Tanker
Liquid bulk. Pairs with Hazmat for the best pay.
$20
Hauling hazardous materials? Read the Hazmat endorsement guide →
Step 1 takes a day. Start it now.
$20 · self-paced · reported to the federal registry · 7-day refund