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Third-Party Commercial Driver Skills Exams for the State of Michigan

U.S. Truck Driver Training School (USTDTS) is an approved third-party testing facility for the State of Michigan for commercial Driver Skills Exams. The cost is $400 for the exam (per attempt) and $500 for the use of our vehicle (per rental).  

If you are interested in testing for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) through USTDTS, please email [email protected].  USTDTS requires copies of the applicant’s license, commercial learner’s permit, and DOT card (if applicable). ELDT (Entry Level Driver Training) eligibility will need to be verified, as well as payment processed, prior to scheduling the exam.  Test details (date, time, location, and examiner) will be provided after the examination is verified and approved by the State of Michigan.   

Applicants can check their own ELDT status in the Training Provider Registry (TPR) at https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Check. For Class A and B, applicants must have all three parts complete:  

  1. Theory  
  2. Behind the wheel – Range
  3. Behind the wheel – Road  

Commercial Driver Skills Exams consist of three segments: Vehicle Inspection, Basic Control Skills, and Public Road Driving (please refer to sections 11, 12, and 13 of the State of Michigan CDL Manual for more details). All segments must be successfully completed to pass the exam. If an applicant fails a segment, the exam is considered a failure and is concluded. After all segments of the commercial driver skills exam are successfully completed, the State Examiner will electronically report the exam results to the state of Michigan (by the end of day on the day the exam is conducted). The next business day, applicants must make an appointment at the Secretary of State to convert their license to a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).  

When applicants arrive at the designated test time and location, the State Examiner will verify the identity of the applicant. The Examiner will receive and copy the applicant’s (and the facilitator’s, if applicable) driving credentials. The State Examiner will provide a CDL Vehicle Inspection Memory Aid and verbal instructions on how the exam is conducted at the commencement of the exam. The Examiner will also provide verbal instructions about the specific segment at the beginning of each segment. Listen carefully; the instructions speak specifically of what is expected on the exam, including how you notify the Examiner that you have ended the maneuver and are ready to be scored.    

Applicants bringing their own vehicle to the exam must adhere to the following regulations:  

  1. A licensed facilitator, that is a commercial driver, licensed in the class of vehicle in which the applicant is testing, must arrive with the vehicle and remain at the test site for the duration of the exam.  
  2. Vehicle must have a valid registration and proof of insurance (current DOT documentation is encouraged) 
  3. Vehicle cargo area(s) must be empty  

Institution Refund Policy   

  • Cancellations that occur at least 48 hours prior to the exam receive a full refund (or can be rescheduled).   
  • Cancellations within 48 hours of the exam receive no refund and the exam is considered a cancellation/no show with the State of Michigan.
  • Failure to present driving credentials (including vehicle credentials and facilitator and their credentials, if applicable) will result in a canceled exam and no refund.
  • Vehicles that cannot pass Vehicle Inspection will not be considered eligible to test and will result in a canceled exam and no refund.
  • NOTE: USTDTS students taking the exam at the end of their program receive no refund.