Heroes to Highways — Two Routes, and One of Them Waives the Written Test Too
New Mexico runs two CDL routes for military drivers. The EVEN EXCHANGE route waives BOTH the knowledge and the skills testing for specific military occupational specialties and ratings — which is rarer than it sounds; most states waive the road test only. The SKILLS WAIVER route waives the skills test alone. Eligibility: New Mexico residents who are active duty within 90 DAYS OF SEPARATION, or veterans discharged WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, with roughly two years of qualifying military commercial vehicle experience and a commanding-officer-signed application. Standard CDL fees still apply.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
New Mexico runs two CDL routes for military drivers. The EVEN EXCHANGE route waives BOTH the knowledge and the skills testing for specific military occupational specialties and ratings — which is rarer than it sounds; most states waive the road test only. The SKILLS WAIVER route waives the skills test alone. Eligibility: New Mexico residents who are active duty within 90 DAYS OF SEPARATION, or veterans discharged WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, with roughly two years of qualifying military commercial vehicle experience and a commanding-officer-signed application. Standard CDL fees still apply.
What it's worth: Skills test waived, or both knowledge and skills on the Even Exchange route
- EVEN EXCHANGE: waives CDL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS testing, for specific military occupational specialties and ratings.
- SKILLS WAIVER: waives the skills test only.
- Which route you take depends on your MOS or rating — check it rather than assuming.
- Active duty members: within 90 DAYS OF SEPARATION.
- Veterans: discharged WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
- Roughly TWO YEARS of qualifying military commercial vehicle experience.
- A COMMANDING-OFFICER-SIGNED application is required.
- STANDARD CDL FEES STILL APPLY. The waiver is of testing, not of cost.
- New Mexico residency is required.
Who is entitled to it
- You serve or served in the U.S. armed forces.
- You drove heavy vehicles in service.
- New Mexico commercial licensing.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
Deadline: 90 days before separation, or 12 months after discharge- 1Check your MOS or rating against the Even Exchange list FIRST. If it is there, you do not sit the written test either.
- 2Get the commanding officer's signature before you separate — this is much harder afterwards.
- 3Work the deadline: 90 days from separation if still serving, 12 months if already discharged.
- 4Have evidence of about two years of qualifying experience.
- 5Budget for the standard CDL fees. Only the testing is waived.
- Form
- Heroes to Highways application, MVD CDL Unit
- File with
- New Mexico MVD, CDL Unit
- Documents you will need
- dd214
- No renewal
- Once granted it does not need renewing.
Sources
- authority · published policyNew Mexico MVD — Heroes to Highways
- operating · published policyNew Mexico Department of Veterans Services — benefits
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