Guide
How Long Does CDL Training Take?
Full-time students at Right Lane have finished in as little as 3 to 5 weeks. Here is the realistic timeline from first phone call to passing your DMV skills test, and what speeds it up or slows it down.
Updated June 2026
The hour requirements
Class A training covers 160 clock hours: 20 hours of theory you complete online at your own pace, plus 140 hours of hands-on training at the yard and on the road. Class B covers 120 hours (15 theory + 105 practical). Both follow the FMCSA's Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) curriculum required for all first-time CDL applicants since February 2022.
The steps, in order
Every student goes through the same sequence. The pace is what varies:
- Free consultation: program fit, schedule, documents (about 30 minutes)
- DOT physical and 5-panel drug test (often done within the first week)
- Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP): study, then pass the DMV knowledge tests ($89 application fee)
- Theory: self-paced online lessons, full-time students often finish in days
- Behind-the-wheel: range maneuvers, then road driving with an instructor
- DMV skills test: pre-trip inspection, basic control, and the road test
Full-time vs part-time
Training full-time (weekday mornings, most of the week), students have completed Class A training in as little as three to five weeks. Part-time and weekend schedules stretch that out, typically two to three months depending on how many sessions you book per week. Class B runs shorter on either pace because of the lower hour requirement.
The biggest schedule variable is not the school, it is the CLP. California requires you to hold the learner's permit for at least 14 days before taking the skills test, so knocking out the knowledge tests early keeps your whole timeline tight.
Start the clock
The consultation is free and takes about two minutes to book. We will map your fastest route to a license around your work and family schedule.
Training programs in this guide
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Your CDL career starts in the right lane
Book a free consultation and a Right Lane advisor maps out your fastest route to a commercial license, around your schedule.