Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois CDL practice tests
How Illinois 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 Illinois 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 Illinois
Illinois in particular
Illinois centralizes every CDL skills and drive appointment through one statewide online booking tool, Illinois Fast Pass, which lets an applicant reserve a specific date and time at any of the state's CDL facilities instead of calling around individually.
The written exams themselves are federal
Illinois 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
Commercial learner permit
Illinois requires an applicant to hold a commercial learner permit for a minimum of 14 days before taking the skills and drive test, and the permit remains valid for one year from issuance.
Illinois Secretary of State, Commercial Driver's License and Commercial Learner's Permit, checked Aug 28, 2026Fees
An original commercial learner permit costs $50, and moving up to the full commercial driver's license adds a $60 processing fee.
Illinois Secretary of State, Commercial Driver's License and Commercial Learner's Permit, checked Aug 28, 2026Where you test
Both the knowledge test and the skills test are given at Secretary of State CDL facilities across the state, and skills and drive appointments are booked through the online Illinois Fast Pass scheduling system.
Illinois Secretary of State, Commercial Driver's License Scheduling, checked Aug 28, 2026Illinois CDL written exams, in the federal format.
145 cited questions, free, with nothing to sign up for. The permit rules above are Illinois's. The knowledge is 49 CFR Part 383.