The steps
- Get a DOT medical card. A commercial driver must pass a physical with a medical examiner listed on FMCSA’s National Registry (49 CFR 391.41, 391.43); the certificate lasts up to 24 months.
- Pass the knowledge test and get a commercial learner’s permit (CLP). The CLP lets you practise with a qualified CDL holder beside you and is valid for no more than a year (49 CFR 383.25).
- Hold the CLP for at least 14 days before taking the skills test (383.25(e)).
- Complete entry-level driver training with a provider on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry, if this is your first Class A or B CDL, an upgrade, or a first passenger, school bus or HazMat endorsement (49 CFR 380.609). 36 registered providers have a training location in South Carolina, 36 of them offering behind-the-wheel training.
- Take the skills test: vehicle inspection, basic control skills and an on-road test, in a vehicle of the class you want (49 CFR 383.113). South Carolina names 18 places as CDL skills test sites.
- Age. Driving across state lines requires being at least 21 (49 CFR 391.11(b)(1)); a state may license drivers from 18 for driving inside the state only.
Where to take the CDL test in South Carolina
65 offices and test sites in South Carolina are on the official lists, and 18 are named by the state as CDL skills test sites. The most are in Columbia (2), Greenville (2), Myrtle Beach (2), Spartanburg (2), Abbeville (1), Aiken (1), Fairfax (1), Anderson (1), Bamberg (1), Barnwell (1). See all CDL testing and DMV offices in South Carolina, with a map and search by city or ZIP.
CDL schools in South Carolina
36 training providers registered with FMCSA list a location in South Carolina. The most are in Columbia (3), Taylors (2), Greenville (2), Duncan (2), Saluda (2), Lancaster (2), Fairfax (2), Orangeburg (2), Ridgeland (2), Anderson (1). See all CDL schools in South Carolina.
Adding HazMat
The hazardous materials endorsement needs a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprints (49 CFR 1572). 13 TSA enrollment centers in South Carolina take HazMat applications. See the enrollment centers in South Carolina.