Indiana CDL Endorsements
Endorsements are add-ons to your Indiana CDL that authorize specific vehicle types or cargo. Each requires a separate knowledge test, taken through Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the endorsement codes are federal, so a Indiana endorsement is recognized in every state. With automotive manufacturing, steel and metals, pharmaceutical distribution shaping Indiana freight, the examples under each endorsement show where that endorsement pays off locally.
Not all endorsements apply to every CDL class. Use the CDL Selector to find what you need.
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required to transport any quantity of hazardous materials that require placarding under federal HazMat regulations.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Hazardous Materials test, study shipping papers, placard and label selection, safe loading and segregation, emergency response procedures, and security-awareness requirements under federal law.
Hazardous Materials in Indiana (IN)
- Steel and metals: roofing, coatings, and compressed-gas deliveries to job sites
- Pharmaceutical distribution: chemical and pharmaceutical shipments that require placards
- Food processing: cleaning agents, batteries, and other placarded retail freight
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required for vehicles designed to transport liquids or gases in a tank permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle, with individual tank capacity of more than 119 gallons.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Tank Vehicles test, study liquid surge and baffled tanks, outage allowances, inspections, high-center-of-gravity handling, and rollover prevention strategies.
Tank Vehicles in Indiana (IN)
- Pharmaceutical distribution: bulk chemical tankers between plants
- Food processing: beverage, dairy, and food-grade liquid tankers
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required for commercial vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver: charter buses, transit coaches, and similar vehicles.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Passenger test, study passenger safety protocols, controlled loading and unloading, emergency door operation, on-road passenger management, and distracted-driving rules.
Passenger in Indiana (IN)
- Transit agencies, charter companies, and church or community buses across Indiana
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required for any driver transporting school-age students in a vehicle classified as a school bus under federal or state law.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) School Bus test, study student loading zones, stop-signal arm procedures, railroad crossing rules, mirror adjustment, emergency evacuation drills, and state-specific school bus regulations.
School Bus in Indiana (IN)
- Indiana school districts and their contractors: every route driver needs S plus P
- Activity and athletics trips, which use the same S-endorsed drivers
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required to pull double or triple trailers where permitted by state law. Common in regional and long-haul freight operations.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Doubles & Triples test, study coupling and uncoupling double and triple combinations, pull-out stability, off-tracking behavior, full combination inspections, and safe following distance.
Doubles & Triples in Indiana (IN)
- Food processing: twin 28-foot LTL trailer sets on the interstates
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), required for any vehicle equipped with an air brake system, which covers most Class A tractor-trailers and many Class B straight trucks.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Air Brakes test, study air brake components, dual-circuit systems, inspection procedures, warning devices, pressure gauges, and stopping distance at highway speeds.
Air Brakes in Indiana (IN)
- Automotive manufacturing: the tractors and straight trucks on every plant route
- Steel and metals: dump trucks, mixers, and flatbed tractors on construction routes
- Almost every Class A and Class B vehicle in Indiana; skip this test and your CDL carries an L restriction
When It's Required in Indiana
In Indiana (IN), essential for Class A drivers operating tractor-trailers, lowboys, and other multi-unit combinations over federal weight thresholds.
What to Study for the IN Test
For the Indiana (IN) Combination Vehicles test, study coupling and uncoupling procedures, air line connections, trailer handling characteristics, off-tracking, and full combination vehicle inspections.
Combination Vehicles in Indiana (IN)
- Automotive manufacturing: just-in-time parts loads between assembly plants and suppliers
- Steel and metals: flatbed and step-deck loads of steel, lumber, and building materials
- Food processing: regional and over-the-road tractor-trailer distribution runs
- Required for any Class A CDL issued in Indiana
Not sure which Indiana CDL endorsements you need?
Answer a few questions about your vehicle and operation, and the Indiana CDL Selector Tool pinpoints the endorsements you need in Indiana.