Veterans Alliance is privately owned and operated to serve veterans. We are not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Alliance — Veterans Alliance
← All North Dakota benefits
licenses & feesstate

CDL Without the Road Test — and Without the Written One for Some Specialties

North Dakota waives the CDL skills (driving) test, and for a qualifying military occupational specialty the KNOWLEDGE TEST TOO, for current active-duty, Reserve or ND National Guard members and for VETERANS WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER DISCHARGE. You must have held a military operator's permit and operated representative commercial vehicles in the PRECEDING TWO YEARS. Apply on form SFN 60071. Written tests are otherwise still required and ordinary fees still apply.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

North Dakota waives the CDL skills (driving) test, and for a qualifying military occupational specialty the KNOWLEDGE TEST TOO, for current active-duty, Reserve or ND National Guard members and for VETERANS WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER DISCHARGE. You must have held a military operator's permit and operated representative commercial vehicles in the PRECEDING TWO YEARS. Apply on form SFN 60071. Written tests are otherwise still required and ordinary fees still apply.

What it's worth: The CDL skills test waived; the knowledge test too for a qualifying MOS

  • Waives the CDL SKILLS (DRIVING) test.
  • ALSO WAIVES THE KNOWLEDGE TEST for a qualifying military occupational specialty.
  • Open to current active duty, Reserve and ND National Guard members.
  • And to VETERANS WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER DISCHARGE.
  • You must have held a MILITARY OPERATOR'S PERMIT and operated representative commercial vehicles in the PRECEDING TWO YEARS.
  • Apply on FORM SFN 60071.
  • Written tests are otherwise still required and ORDINARY FEES APPLY.

Who is entitled to it

  • You serve or served in the U.S. armed forces.
  • You drove heavy vehicles in service.
  • North Dakota 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: Within one year after discharge
  1. 1Ask whether your MOS qualifies for the knowledge test waiver as well — do not assume you must sit it.
  2. 2Diary the one-year window from discharge. It is the constraint that catches people.
  3. 3Check the two-year driving requirement: you need to have operated representative commercial vehicles in the preceding two years.
  4. 4Get form SFN 60071 signed while you still have access to your unit.
  5. 5Budget for ordinary CDL fees and the DOT medical certification.
Form
SFN 60071, ND Driver License Division
File with
NDDOT Driver License Division
Documents you will need
dd214
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
Worth knowingTwo clocks run at once here: one year from discharge, and two years of driving before you apply. Both have to line up.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.