Are you considering a career in commercial driving? If you have always wanted to drive heavy 18-wheelers, now is the perfect time to make this dream a reality. In West Virginia, anyone can become a commercial driver if they meet the eligibility requirements. You must be at least 18 to apply for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), although you will not be able to drive across state lines, carry passengers, or transport hazardous materials until you turn 21. You must also possess a valid West Virginia driver’s license, pay the licensing fees, submit identification documents, and pass a vision screening.
To ensure physical fitness for the duties of this job, the DMV requires all aspiring commercial drivers to undergo a medical examination, which must be performed by a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry. However, applicants who will be engaged in excepted commerce are exempt from a medical examination.
The first step in the licensing process is to obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP), which is granted after passing the official general knowledge exam. This test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions based on the West Virginia Commercial Driver’s License Manual (West Virginia CDL Handbook 2026), an official resource published by the DMV. We recommend reading this handbook multiple times during your learning phase.