Hawaii CDL Classes Explained
Which Hawaii CDL class you need depends on vehicle weight, what it tows, and the type of operation, not just the truck size. The three classes are set by federal rule (49 CFR 383.91) and are the same in every state, so a Hawaii CDL is valid nationwide. Hawaii county driver licensing offices issues the license and runs the knowledge and skills tests. Hawaii's CDL drivers support island freight, military installations, and the tourism supply chain on limited road networks.
A Class A CDL is generally used for combination vehicles, including tractor-trailers, when the gross combination weight rating is 26,001 pounds or more and the towed unit is over 10,000 pounds.
Knowledge Test Topics
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes if equipped
- Combination Vehicles
- Vehicle Inspection
- Basic Vehicle Control
- Road Test
Common Job Types
- Tractor-trailer driver
- Regional freight driver
- Heavy combination vehicle operator
- Class A delivery driver
Class A CDL in Hawaii
Class A is the license behind most of Hawaii's long-haul and heavy freight, much of it moving on H-1, H-2, H-3. With inter-island freight, tourism supply chain, military logistics driving demand, typical Hawaii Class A work includes:
- Inter-island freight: event, production, and resort supply freight
- Military logistics: defense and government logistics contractors
- Agriculture and food import: refrigerated (reefer) loads of produce and food moving to distribution centers and out of state
Apply, test, and schedule through Hawaii county driver licensing offices. Not sure this is your class? Use the Hawaii CDL Selector.
A Class B CDL is generally used for a single commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, plus limited towing.
Knowledge Test Topics
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes if equipped
- Vehicle Inspection
- Basic Vehicle Control
- Road Test
Common Job Types
- Straight truck driver
- Dump truck driver
- Large bus driver
- Box truck driver
- Concrete mixer driver
Class B CDL in Hawaii
Class B covers the single heavy vehicles that keep Hawaii moving locally: no tractor-trailer, but everything from dump trucks to full-size buses. Typical Hawaii Class B work includes:
- Inter-island freight: motorcoaches and tour buses (P endorsement)
- Military logistics: base supply and municipal fleet trucks
- Agriculture and food import: single-unit farm and packing-house trucks (many states offer a restricted farm CDL)
- Transit and school districts: city buses and full-size school buses across Hawaii (P and S endorsements)
Apply, test, and schedule through Hawaii county driver licensing offices. Not sure this is your class? Use the Hawaii CDL Selector.
A Class C CDL may apply when the vehicle does not meet Class A or B weight definitions but is used for passengers, school bus operation, or placarded hazardous materials.
Knowledge Test Topics
- General Knowledge as required
- Passenger or School Bus endorsement if applicable
- HazMat endorsement if applicable
- State-specific requirements
Common Job Types
- Shuttle driver
- Small passenger vehicle driver
- School activity driver
- HazMat delivery driver
Class C CDL in Hawaii
Class C applies to lighter vehicles in Hawaii that still need a CDL because of what they carry: 16 or more passengers, or placarded hazardous materials. Typical Hawaii Class C work includes:
- Inter-island freight: hotel, airport, and resort shuttle vans (P endorsement)
- Military logistics: government and agency passenger vans
- Agriculture and food import: farm crew transport when the vehicle carries 16 or more passengers
- Smaller school buses and activity buses for Hawaii school districts (P and S endorsements)
Apply, test, and schedule through Hawaii county driver licensing offices. Not sure this is your class? Use the Hawaii CDL Selector.
Not sure which class applies to you?
Answer a few questions about your vehicle and operation, and the CDL Selector gives you a starting point in under a minute.