State CDL license requirements will change on July 1

The Georgia Department of Driver Services reminds commercial drivers of licensing fee updates: most 5-year licenses eliminated, fees increase.

Effective July 1, 2017, the fees associated with an 8-year term Georgia Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) will be changing as follows:

Ø For renewal of an 8-year term CDL, the fee will be increasing from $20.00 currently to $32.00, which equates to $4.00 per year, and is consistent with the current fee charged for renewal of an 8-year term non-commercial driver’s license.

Ø For initial issuance of an 8-year term CDL that does not require a road test, the fee will be increasing from $20.00 currently to $32.00, which equates to $4.00 per year, and is consistent with the current fee charged for an 8-year term noncommercial driver’s license.

Ø For initial issuance of an 8-year term CDL that does require a road test, the fee will increase to $82.00. This increase is to incorporate the additional $12 associated with the increased cost of the 8-year term CDL from $20.00 to $32.00. The testing fee of $50.00 per test remains the same.

CDL’s that are restricted to terms of 5 years or less based on federal rules and regulations will remain $20.00. This includes CDL’s with hazardous materials endorsements that require a U.S. Transportation Security Administration threat assessment, as well as Limited Term CDL’s that are issued to non-citizens with lawful status whose CDL term cannot exceed their authorized period of stay in the United States, or 5 years, pursuant to the REAL ID Act.

These changes are the result of House Bill 136, which was passed by the Georgia General Assembly on March 30, 2017 and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on May 1, 2017.