Commercial driver licensing procedure will change Sept. 26

Sept. 16, 2016
ODOT News Release No. 16-087
News media contact: David House, 503-945-5270 or david.j.house@odot.state.or.us
Customer contact: OregonDMV.com

Commercial driver licensing procedure will change Sept. 26

Oregon is finishing transition to federally mandated “Commercial Learner Permit”

If you are seeking an Oregon commercial driver license (CDL), there are changes in how you obtain a permit to learn to drive that will go into effect Sept. 26.
As of that date, Oregon DMV will begin to issue a “Commercial Learner Permit” under a new set of federal rules replacing the CDL Instruction Permit rules. Current CDL Instruction Permits will remain valid until they expire but cannot be renewed or replaced as of Sept. 26.
Also as of Sept. 26, federally mandated disqualifications for commercial driving privileges (major offenses, serious violations, railroad-highway grade crossing convictions, and violations of out-of-service orders) will apply to Commercial Learner Permit (CLP) holders as well as CDL holders. Similarly, CLP holders will not be eligible for DUII diversion or other types of conviction diversions.
The changes are required to comply with new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations.

What's a CLP?

A Commercial Learner Permit, when carried with a valid Oregon Driver License and accompanied by a holder of a valid CDL, authorizes an individual to operate a commercial motor vehicle for purposes of behind-the-wheel training.
Applicants for a CDL who require skills testing will be required to first obtain a Commercial Learner Permit. Applicants for CDL skills tests must hold their valid CLP at least 14 days prior to taking a skills test.
CLPs will be valid for one year and cannot be renewed.
CLPs must be issued with the class, restrictions and endorsements for the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in which the CLP holder intends to practice and take their skills test. CLPs may carry the following endorsements:

* (P) Passenger
* (S) School bus
* (N) Tank
The restrictions that may appear on a CLP are as follows:
* (K) CMV Intrastate Only
* (L) No CMV with Airbrake
* (M) No Class A Passenger CMV
* (N) No Class A or B Passenger CMV
* (P) No Passengers in CMV Bus
* (X) No Cargo in tank CMV
* (V) Federal Medical Variance
New restrictions will also apply to the CDL and are based on the type of vehicle in which the skills test was taken. Those restrictions are:
* (E) Automatic transmission CMV  – This will restrict the operator to CMVs  with automatic transmissions.
* (O) No Tractor-Trailer – This will restrict the operator to vehicles without a fifth-wheel coupling system. This applies to Class A vehicles only.
* (Z) No Full Air Brake CMV – This restricts the operator from driving vehicles with full air brake systems. This will still allow for the operation of vehicles with air-over-hydraulic brake systems.
In addition, out-of-state CLPs cannot be used to satisfy Oregon’s CDL knowledge test requirements. An applicant who has just become an Oregon resident must first transfer their privileges to an Oregon noncommercial license or CDL in order to obtain a CLP and take CDL skills tests.

Questions?

Please contact us if you have any questions about the CLP changes. We recognize that while most states have already fully implemented these changes, this information may be entirely new to motor carriers and drivers that operate in Oregon. We are happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.  Contact information for DMV’s CDL Policy Unit is included below:

* CLP Project/General Questions: Russ Casler, 503-945-5112 or russell.casler@odot.state.or.us
* Driver Qualifications Questions: Margaret Geer, 503-945-5109 or margaret.j.geer@odot.state.or.us 
* Skills Test Questions: Nick Hopper, 503-945-5118 or nick.g.hopper@odot.state.or.us
* Third Party Testing Questions: Bill Cohen, 503-945-5282 or william.s.cohen@odot.state.or.us

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