The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 requires each state to meet the same minimum standards for commercial driver licensing. You must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate any of the following commercial motor vehicles (CMV) in Minnesota:
- A combination of vehicles in which the gross combination weight (GCW) is more than 26,000 pounds and the towed unit has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of more than 10,000 pounds — Minimum age is 18
- A single vehicle with a GVW exceeding 26,000 pounds — Minimum age is 16
- A vehicle designed to transport more than 15 persons, including the driver — Minimum age is 18
- Any size vehicle that requires hazardous materials placards — In most cases, you must be 21 years of age to transport hazardous materials
- Any size vehicle outwardly equipped and identified as a school bus — Minimum age is 18
The CDL skills test is broken into three phases: (1) the pre-trip inspection (required for school buses and vehicles equipped with air brakes); (2) the basic control skills, and (3) the road test. You must take these tests in the type of vehicle for which you wish to be licensed.
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