Published by the TruckDriversPRO team. Facts checked against FMCSA sources in October 2026.
Quick answer: ELDT (entry-level driver training) is the federal minimum training that first-time Class A and Class B CDL applicants, Class B to Class A upgraders, and first-time school bus (S), passenger (P), and hazardous materials (H) endorsement applicants must complete before their skills or knowledge test. The training has to come from a provider listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry (TPR), which is where providers register, self-certify, and submit each driver’s training certification. This page defines the terms and numbers that come up most.
ELDT comes with a lot of acronyms and a few deadlines that are easy to mix up. Use this page as a reference, and follow the links for the full explanation of any topic.
TruckDriversPRO keeps student progress and completion tracking, behind-the-wheel scheduling, and TPR submission in one place for traveling trainers, CDL schools, and fleets.
Numbers to Know
| Number | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| February 7, 2022 | ELDT applies to people who got a commercial learner’s permit on or after this date |
| 0 hours | Federal minimum for theory and for behind-the-wheel training |
| 80 percent | Minimum overall score on the theory assessment |
| 60 minutes | One clock hour of behind-the-wheel training |
| Midnight of the 2nd business day | Deadline to submit a trainee’s certification after training is completed |
| 14 days | Minimum wait after a permit is first issued before the CDL skills test |
| 1 year | Federal maximum validity of a permit without retaking knowledge tests |
| 30 days | To report changes to key information, and to respond to a notice of proposed removal |
| 60 days | To complete corrective action after a notice of proposed removal |
| 48 hours | To send required documentation after an FMCSA request |
| 2 years | How often a provider updates its registration form |
| 3 years | Minimum time to keep required ELDT records |
| 30, 29, 22 | Theory topics for Class A, Class B, and the Class B to A upgrade |
| 18, 11, 13 | Theory units for the passenger, school bus, and hazmat endorsements |
As of mid-October 2026, the registry’s home page showed 18,302 active providers at 31,090 locations, 676 locations under review, 9,969 locations removed, and 2,049,958 drivers trained since February 2022. Those figures change daily.
Terms A to Z
Assessment (theory). A written or electronic test covering every unit of the theory curriculum. Trainees need an overall score of at least 80 percent.
Behind-the-wheel (BTW) training. The practical part of ELDT. Class A and Class B require both driving range and public road training, while the passenger and school bus endorsements require one or the other. It has to take place in a representative vehicle, and a simulator can’t be used to conduct it. See ELDT Requirements by License.
Biennial update. The registration form update a provider has to complete every two years to stay listed.
Certification (training certification). The record a provider submits to the registry after a driver completes training. It includes the driver’s name, license or permit number, state, type of training completed, total behind-the-wheel clock hours, and completion date, and it’s due by midnight of the second business day after completion. See our TPR submission guide.
Class A and Class B. The Class A curriculum is written for combination vehicles and the Class B curriculum for heavy straight vehicles. A student who completes Class A training is eligible to take the Class B skills test as well.
Clock hour. Sixty minutes. Behind-the-wheel time is recorded in clock hours, and the total goes to the registry with the certification.
Commercial learner’s permit (CLP). The permit a driver has to hold before a CDL can be issued. On public roads, the holder has to be supervised by a valid CDL holder with the proper group and endorsements. The holder can’t take the skills test in the first 14 days, and a permit can be valid for up to one year without retaking the knowledge tests, though some states issue shorter ones.
Corrective action. What FMCSA requires of a provider in a notice of proposed removal. It has to be completed within 60 days of the notice, or of the date FMCSA affirms it.
Curriculum. The minimum content for each type of ELDT training, set out in Appendices A through E of 49 CFR Part 380. Class A theory has five units and 30 numbered topics.
Driving range. The off-road area used for range training. Class A range training has seven exercises, from vehicle inspection to coupling and uncoupling.
ELDT. Entry-level driver training, the federal minimum training standard for first-time Class A or B CDL applicants, Class B to A upgraders, and first-time S, P, and H endorsement applicants. It’s not retroactive: a CDL or endorsement issued before February 7, 2022 doesn’t trigger it.
Emergency removal. Removal from the registry without the usual notice period. FMCSA can use it for fraud, criminal behavior, willful disregard of the rules, or when public safety requires it.
Endorsement (P, S, H). An addition to a CDL for passenger vehicles (P), school buses (S), or hazardous materials (H). Each has its own curriculum, and hazmat is theory only.
FMCSA. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the agency that sets the ELDT rules and runs the Training Provider Registry.
GOAL. “Get Out and Look,” the backing technique instructors have to teach during range exercises.
Key information. A provider’s name, address, phone number, types of training offered, provider status, and any change in state licensure, certification, or accreditation. Changes have to be reported within 30 days. See Staying on the TPR.
Knowledge test. The state test for the hazmat endorsement, which can’t be taken until hazmat theory training is complete.
Location. Each place where a provider delivers training is registered separately.
Notice of inactivity. A notice FMCSA sends to providers with one or more locations that haven’t submitted any certifications in the past 12 months.
Notice of proposed removal. FMCSA’s notice that states the reasons for a proposed removal and the corrective action required. The provider has to tell current and scheduled trainees, and has 30 days to respond in writing.
Proficiency. The instructor’s documented judgment that a trainee can perform each behind-the-wheel element. There’s no minimum number of hours. See How Many Hours Is ELDT?
Representative vehicle. The vehicle used for behind-the-wheel training has to be representative of the class or endorsement the trainee is seeking.
Self-certification (provider). The statement a provider makes when it registers that it meets the requirements for curricula, facilities, instructors, state licensing, and vehicles. FMCSA approves the application to be listed but doesn’t approve or certify the provider. See What a Registry Listing Really Means.
Self-certification (trainee). What each behind-the-wheel applicant certifies at enrollment: that they’ll comply with DOT regulations and state and local laws on drug and alcohol testing, age, medical certification, licensing, and driving record.
Simulation device. A driving simulator. It can be used in theory training but not to conduct behind-the-wheel training or to demonstrate proficiency.
Skills test. The state driving test for the CDL, and for the passenger and school bus endorsements. ELDT has to be complete before it.
State of domicile. A driver’s home state. It has to accept skills test results from the state where the driver trained and tested, but it can still set its own conditions for issuing the license.
Theory training. The knowledge part of ELDT. Every topic in the curriculum has to be covered, there’s no minimum number of hours, and it can be delivered in a classroom or online.
Theory instructor. An instructor who meets the definition in 49 CFR §380.605. States can set tougher instructor requirements, with an exception for online theory instructors. See Who Can Actually Teach ELDT?
Training Provider Registry (TPR). FMCSA’s online database of entry-level driver training providers, where providers register and submit certifications and where states verify training before testing.
Upgrade (Class B to Class A). A 22-topic theory curriculum plus the full Class A range and public road training.
Voluntary removal. A provider asking to be removed from the registry. It stops being effective once a notice of proposed removal has been issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ELDT? Entry-level driver training, the federal minimum training standard for first-time Class A and B CDL applicants, Class B to A upgraders, and first-time S, P, and H endorsement applicants who got a permit on or after February 7, 2022.
What does TPR stand for? Training Provider Registry. It’s FMCSA’s online database of entry-level driver training providers.
What does BTW mean in ELDT? Behind-the-wheel training, the practical driving part, delivered on a driving range and on public roads depending on the license.
Is there a minimum number of ELDT hours? No. The federal rule sets no minimum for theory or behind-the-wheel training. Trainees need at least 80 percent on the theory assessment, and instructors document proficiency in each driving skill.
How soon must a provider submit a trainee’s certification? By midnight of the second business day after the driver completes training.
Sources
- FMCSA Training Provider Registry: home page, FAQ for drivers on training requirements, ELDT applicability, page for training providers, and the ELDT curriculum summary
- 49 CFR Part 380, Subpart G, on the registry and continued listing
- 49 CFR §383.25, on commercial learner’s permits
Related Reading
- How Many Hours Is ELDT? There’s No Federal Minimum
- ELDT Requirements by License: What Class A, B, P, S, and H Need
- Staying on the TPR: The Deadlines Every Training Provider Should Know
- CRM vs CDL Training Software: What a CDL School Actually Need
TruckDriversPRO keeps student progress and completion tracking, behind-the-wheel scheduling, and direct TPR submission in one system, so the record behind every certification is there when someone asks for it. Schedule a demo to see how it fits your school.