- A Commercial Learner Permit costs $20; an original or renewed CDL, including the exam, costs $60.
- Each endorsement or restriction removal - covering domains like Tank Vehicles or Hazmat - is a flat $10.
- The knowledge test allows up to 50 questions, 60 minutes, and requires an 80% score to pass.
- A passing knowledge test result stays valid for one year, but your CLP must be held 14 days before skills testing.
Official NH DMV Fee Schedule for 2026
The New Hampshire CDL Permit Test (NH-CDL) is administered directly by the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, part of the Department of Safety. That matters for pricing because there's no third-party certifying body charging exam registration fees on top of state costs - every dollar you spend flows through the DMV fee schedule.
Here's the full breakdown as published by the state:
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner Permit (CLP) | $20 | Required before skills or road testing |
| Original or Renewed CDL (includes exam) | $60 | Covers the licensing exam itself |
| Each Endorsement or Restriction Removal | $10 | Charged per endorsement, not bundled |
If you're still mapping out what the exam actually covers before you worry about cost, the NH-CDL Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 8 Content Areas breaks down every content area referenced in this pricing guide.
CLP Costs vs. Full CDL Costs
Every NH-CDL candidate pays for two distinct products, not one. The $20 Commercial Learner Permit is the entry ticket - it lets you begin behind-the-wheel practice and eventually sit for skills testing. The $60 fee for an original or renewed CDL is what actually converts your permit into a license, and it includes the cost of the knowledge examination itself.
This two-tier structure means your minimum out-of-pocket cost for a basic, no-endorsement CDL is $80 in state fees ($20 CLP + $60 CDL), before you factor in training, medical certification, or any endorsements.
Before spending that money, make sure you actually meet eligibility. The NH-CDL Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify article lists what you need on hand - a valid New Hampshire driver license, identity and residency documents, and current medical certification unless you're excepted.
Key Takeaway
Don't pay for your CLP until your paperwork (ID, residency, medical certification) is DMV-ready. A rejected application at the counter doesn't refund your time, even if the fee itself is small.
Endorsement Fees Mapped to the 8 Exam Domains
The NH-CDL knowledge exam is organized into eight domains, and several of them correspond directly to an endorsement you'll pay an additional $10 for once you pass the associated testing:
Domain 1: General Knowledge
This is the baseline domain every applicant must pass - no separate endorsement fee, since it's built into the base $60 CDL cost.
- Covers vehicle inspection, basic control, and safe driving fundamentals
Domain 2: Air Brakes
Also folded into the base exam cost if you intend to operate air-brake-equipped vehicles, which most commercial trucks use.
- Skipping this domain restricts your license - removing that restriction later costs $10
Domain 3: Combination Vehicles
Required knowledge for tractor-trailer operation; tied to the combination vehicle skills test rather than a standalone paid endorsement.
- Essential for most freight-hauling jobs
Domain 4: Tank Vehicles
This maps to the Tank Vehicle endorsement - a $10 fee once you pass the associated knowledge content.
- Needed for hauling liquids or gases in bulk tanks
Domain 5: Passenger Transport
Maps to the Passenger endorsement, also $10, required for any driver transporting people commercially.
- Common requirement for transit and charter bus roles
Domain 6: Doubles and Triples
Maps to the Doubles/Triples endorsement - another $10 fee - relevant for drivers pulling multiple trailers.
- Fewer NH employers need this, but it pays a premium where required
Domain 7: Hazardous Materials
Maps to the Hazmat endorsement, $10, and carries extra background requirements beyond the knowledge test itself.
- ELDT must be completed before this test, same as skills testing
Domain 8: School Bus
Maps to the School Bus endorsement, $10, typically stacked with the Passenger endorsement for district driving roles.
- Often combined with Passenger for a $20 endorsement total
Since each endorsement is billed separately at $10, the more of these eight domains you plan to work in, the more your total cost climbs - but always in predictable $10 increments. For a deeper look at how question content is distributed across these domains, see the NH-CDL Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 8 Content Areas.
Total Cost Scenarios
Because the fee structure is so linear, it's easy to model your own total cost based on career goals:
| Scenario | CLP | CDL | Endorsements | Total State Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General freight only | $20 | $60 | $0 | $80 |
| Tanker driver (Domain 4) | $20 | $60 | $10 | $90 |
| School bus + passenger (Domains 5 & 8) | $20 | $60 | $20 | $100 |
| Hazmat carrier (Domain 7) | $20 | $60 | $10 | $90 |
| Multi-endorsement (tank + hazmat + doubles) | $20 | $60 | $30 | $110 |
Notice that even a heavily-endorsed CDL rarely pushes state fees much past $100-$120. The real cost variable in most candidates' budgets isn't the DMV fee schedule - it's training time and how many attempts it takes to pass. That's exactly why understanding the exam format matters as much as the price tag; the How Hard Is the NH-CDL Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 article covers what actually makes the test challenging.
Costs Not Covered by the DMV Fee Schedule
The fees above are exactly what the New Hampshire DMV charges - but they aren't the only costs in your CDL journey. Budget separately for:
- Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT): Required before your relevant skills or hazardous-materials test can be scheduled. Training provider costs vary and are billed outside the DMV fee schedule.
- Medical certification: Current medical certification is required unless you're excepted. Exam costs depend on your provider, not the DMV.
- Retesting time: The knowledge exam allows up to 50 questions in 60 minutes and requires an 80% score. If you don't pass, you'll need to retest - plan study time accordingly rather than assuming a single attempt.
- Practice materials: Structured practice tests through resources like our NH-CDL practice test platform can reduce the number of paid attempts you need by helping you gauge readiness before you pay for the real exam.
Timing, Renewal, and the Cost of Letting Things Lapse
Cost planning for the NH-CDL isn't just about fees - it's about timing those fees correctly so you don't pay twice:
- 14-day CLP hold: You must hold your Commercial Learner Permit for at least 14 days before skills testing. Scheduling too early wastes nothing financially, but scheduling too late (after your one-year knowledge test validity expires) means retaking and repaying for the knowledge exam.
- One-year knowledge test validity: If your skills test isn't completed within a year of passing the knowledge test, you'll need to retest - an avoidable extra $60 exam cost.
- Five-year renewal cycle: Your NH-CDL expires on your birthday in the fifth year after issuance. Renewal isn't free - it falls under the same $60 original-or-renewed CDL fee, so treat it as a recurring line item, not a one-time cost.
- Medical certification currency: Since your CDL requires current medical certification to remain valid, lapses can force costly re-certification cycles alongside your CDL renewal.
For exact scheduling windows and how to avoid timing conflicts, check the NH-CDL Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling guide.
Budgeting Your Study Time by Domain
Since retesting is the single largest avoidable cost in this whole process, allocating study time by domain weight is more valuable than any generic study hack. A simple way to sequence it:
General Knowledge & Air Brakes
- These form the base of every version of the exam - master them first since they underlie every other domain
Combination Vehicles
- Critical if you're pursuing tractor-trailer work; pairs directly with your skills test prep
Endorsement Domains You Plan to Pursue
- Tank Vehicles, Passenger Transport, Doubles/Triples, Hazardous Materials, or School Bus - study only the ones relevant to your $10 endorsement plans
Full Practice Runs
- Simulate the 50-question, 60-minute format under the 80% passing threshold before booking your real appointment
For a domain-by-domain study plan with more detail than this cost-focused overview allows, see the NH-CDL Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And if you want to know exactly what score you're aiming for and how it's calculated, the NH-CDL Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass article walks through the 80% requirement in detail.
Key Takeaway
Every study hour you invest before test day is effectively money saved - retesting after a fail means paying the $60 exam fee again, so treat preparation as the cheapest insurance against repeat costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The state fee minimum is $80: a $20 Commercial Learner Permit plus a $60 original CDL fee, which includes the knowledge examination. This doesn't include training or medical certification costs, which are billed separately.
Each endorsement or restriction removal is a flat $10, regardless of which domain it corresponds to - Tank Vehicles, Passenger Transport, Doubles and Triples, Hazardous Materials, or School Bus.
The $60 fee covers an original or renewed CDL including the exam. If you fail and need to retest, plan on this fee applying again, since the CERT facts specify it's tied to issuance, not to unlimited attempts.
New Hampshire requires a minimum 14-day holding period between receiving your Commercial Learner Permit and sitting for the skills test, giving you mandated practice time before your renewed CDL fee applies.
Your NH-CDL expires on your birthday in the fifth year after issuance, so the $60 renewal fee recurs roughly every five years, alongside maintaining current medical certification.