Do CDL licenses expire? How long is a CDL license valid?
A CDL may be valid anywhere for 5 to 8 years, depending on your State of residence. To maintain the CDL, you will likely be required to have a yearly physical exam to ensure you are healthy enough for the job.
Commercial Driver’s Licenses expire just like any personal license would. You are required to renew your CDL license on time.
What happens if my CDL license expires while I am on the road?
If you are on the road working as your license expires, you could face severe consequences. The State issues the license but the Department of Transportation (DOT) is the Federal agency that mandates it. If you are pulled over with an expired license, you could lose your CDL license (and no longer be able to drive trucks). Read below to learn more about penalties from an expired CDL.
Can you drive with an expired license?
It is highly recommended that you do not drive with an expired license. You could face fines, fees and penalties on your license and may even have it revoked. If you are pulled over with an expired license, you could face a traffic ticket and a steep fine. A court could require you to provide proof of a driver’s license which means you will have to adhere to a specific court date in order to reduce the fine. You could also have points added to your license, see your insurance premiums increase, or incur other penalties. So stay on top of things and get your licensed renewed on time! It should be a simple process and can save you a whole lot of frustration.
How do you renew your CDL license?
It is important to think ahead and renew the license before the expiration date. Oftentimes you will be mailed a reminder to do so about a month in advance. Some States allow you to renew in person, online or by mail while others require you to only renew in person. This varies depending on the rules of each State’s motor vehicle department.
Requirements for a CDL renewal include an application form. You can fill it out in person or print it and mail it in. This form usually requires that you:
· Provide a recent eye exam to show that have acceptable vision to drive commercial vehicles. You may need to do an eye test at the DMV
· Provide a copy of your Medical Examiner’s Certificate (if applicable)
· Pay for all applicable license renewal fees (which vary by State)
If your CDL has been expired for a while, (hopefully you have not been driving around with it this way) you may need to re-test completely. This could mean you will need to re-take and pass both the written exam and road test. You may also be responsible for paying all new application fees which are usually more expensive than a renewal. Depending on the State you are registered in, this could be the case if your CDL has been expired anywhere from as little as 60 days to 3 years.
NETTTS CDL Training School
For CDL drivers, renewing a CDL that is about to expire is usually a simple process that can be done online -anywhere you find Wi-Fi or internet access. And finding out more about NETTTS CDL training school can be done online!
Find out more online today or call us at (800) 333-2888. Currently, we’re able to offer you Class A and Class B CDL training in and around the following areas: Pawtucket, RI, North Andover, MA, Bridgeport, CT, and Somers, CT.