County driver licensing divisions, such as the Hawaii County Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division, running the CDL program under Hawaii Department of Transportation rules
Hawaii CDL practice tests
How Hawaii handles the commercial learner permit, the fees and the skills test.
- General Knowledge24 questions, required of every applicant
- Air Brakes20 questions, skip it and an L restriction applies
- Combination Vehicles18 questions, needed for Class A
- Hazardous Materials20 questions, endorsement H
- Tank Vehicles16 questions, endorsement N
Every knowledge area
The 145 questions are the same in every state. Start with general knowledge, then sit the areas Hawaii will write onto the permit.
General Knowledge
Required of every applicant: inspection, control, space and speed management, hazard perception, emergencies and hours of service.
Air Brakes
Air brake knowledge and vehicle checks for applicants who may drive vehicles with air brakes.
Combination Vehicles
Coupling, the fifth wheel, off tracking and trailer swing. Needed for Class A.
Hazardous Materials
Placards, shipping papers, segregation and the security threat assessment.
Tank Vehicles
Liquid surge, baffles, outage and why a tanker rolls over so readily.
Doubles and Triples
Rearward amplification, converter dollies and coupling a second or third trailer.
Passenger Transport
Bus inspection, standee lines, passenger supervision and railroad crossings.
School Bus
Danger zones, loading and unloading, student crossing and evacuation.
What is different in Hawaii
Hawaii in particular
Hawaii has no single statewide CDL licensing counter. Each county runs its own driver licensing division under Hawaii DOT rules, so a Practical Test slot in Kona is open only two days a week while South Hilo tests all five.
The written exams themselves are federal
Hawaii decides the permit rules, the fees and who runs the skills test, but the knowledge you are tested on comes from 49 CFR Part 383 and is the same in every state, which is why the 145 questions here work wherever you apply.
What changes in this state
Fees
In Hawaii County the practical test fee is $50, covering the full three part skills test and due when the road test is booked. Each county sets its own CDL fees, so check the county you will test in.
Hawaii County Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division, checked Aug 28, 2026Where you test
CDL practical tests run out of county driver licensing offices rather than one state facility. In Hawaii County the South Hilo site tests Monday through Friday while the Kona site only tests on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Hawaii County Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division, checked Aug 28, 2026Hawaii CDL written exams, in the federal format.
145 cited questions, free, with nothing to sign up for. The permit rules above are Hawaii's. The knowledge is 49 CFR Part 383.