1. No commercial driver's license skills test shall be given in a vehicle loaded with cargo.
  2. The vehicle shall be furnished by the applicant and will have a safe passenger seat for the examiner. Vehicle shall be insured pursuant to Georgia law.
  3. The vehicle shall have a data plate or applicant must have a letter from the manufacturer containing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) for the vehicle. The GVWR will be checked to ensure that the vehicle in which the applicant takes the skills test is representative of the vehicle group the applicant expects to operate.
  4. All vehicles used in skills test must be in safe operating condition. Any defects in the following items will constitute an unsafe vehicle and will disqualify the vehicle from being utilized in the skills test.
    1. Service Brakes, including trailer brake connection;
    2. Parking Brake;
    3. Steering mechanisms;
    4. Lighting Devices and mechanisms;
    5. Tires:
      1. Must have at least 4/32 of an inch of tread on front tires; and
      2. Must have at least 2/32 of an inch of tread on all other tires;
    6. Horn;
    7. Windshield;
    8. Windshield wipers;
    9. Coupling Devices
    10. Rear vision mirrors;
    11. Wheel and Rims;
    12. Emergency equipment;
    13. Doors;
    14. Exhaust System;
    15. Frame;
    16. Fuel Tank.
  5. Skills test will be given in order of increasing difficulty.
  6. Skills test may be given in all weather conditions; provided the weather creates no hazard for the applicant or the examiner.
  7. Prior to the skills test, being administered, the applicant must pay a $50.00 testing fee for each attempt. If the test is administered by the state and the applicant has a veterans’ status the fee is waived (veterans that served during wartime and veterans that honorably served outside of wartime or a military conflict where the President committed troops) as defined.  If the test is administered by a CDL Third Party Tester the fee may not exceed $100 provided the applicant supplies his or her own commercial motor vehicle or a fee not to exceed $150 if the Tester supplies the vehicle for testing purposes.
  8. Skills tests taken in vehicles that do not operate fully on air brakes will result in the commercial driver's license being issued with an air brakes restriction.         
  9. Test taken in vehicles with automatic transmission will result in a ‘no manual transmission equipped CMV’ restriction being placed on the CDL.
  10. Tests taken in truck trailer combinations will result in a ‘no tractor trailer CMV; restriction being placed on CDL.
  11. Tests taken in a vehicle that have air over hydraulic brakes will result in a ‘no full air brake’ restriction being placed on the CDL.
  12. Tests taken in a Class B passenger vehicle will result in a ‘No Class A passenger bus’ restriction being placed on the CDL.
  13. Tests taken in a Class C passenger vehicle will result in a ‘No Class A or Class B passenger bus restriction being placed on the CDL.
  14. Intrastate commerce only (Within a State and you do not meet any of the description for Interstate commerce).  The cargo on the vehicle must have originated in the state and will not leave the state, driver is under the age of 21, or the driver does not meet the medical requirements to operate in interstate commerce and has been granted a medical variance that allows him/her to operate in intrastate.
  15. Valid farm waiver (Restricted CDL for certain drivers in farm-related service industries)
    1.  Agri-chemical businesses;
    2. Custom harvesters;
    3. Farm retail outlets and suppliers;
    4. Livestock feeders.
      1. Restricted CDL holders are limited to operating Class B and C vehicles.  Restricted CDL holders may not hold an unrestricted CDL at the same time.
  16.  Medical variance (applicant requires state or federal waiver to meet medical requirements to operate CMV).

Authority: O.C.G.A. § 40-5-156, 49 C.F.R. Part 383
Effective Date: 2/8/2017

Short Title
CDL Rule 1-1-.09