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Additional Training Guidelines For A CDL In New Jersey

An important update released earlier this year affects any driver in New Jersey who is seeking to obtain a commercial driver's license. The change took effect on February 7th, 2022. In accordance with a new federally-mandated policy, individuals must first complete the additional training courses to qualify for a CDL.

The training requirement is pursuant to the mandate set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, known as the FMCSA. The Administration has issued a regulation that requires that applicants for a CDL must complete the Entry-Level Driver Training course.

The training must be provided by a FMCSA federally approved trainer. Upon obtaining proof of completion of the course, the applicant can proceed to take the CDL skills test. The names and contact information for accredited providers in the state of New Jersey are available online. To view the list, people can go online to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. There's also a link to find the training provider registry on NJMVC's website. It can be easily found in the noted CDL section.

Applicants can search the list to find and arrange for their training with a fully certified provider. The New Jersey MVC will validate that the training is satisfactorily completed before they issue or upgrade a CDL.

The new provision applies to New Jersey applicants who get their CDL, S, P, or H endorsement on Feb. 7, 2022, or thereafter. It's not retroactive. Therefore, for drivers who already had a valid commercial learner's permit before that date, the additional training requirement is not applicable. Those drivers would still be able to get a CDL without having to fulfill the extra training requirement. If anyone has questions or wants to learn more, there's additional information on the NJ MVC website.