Minnesota CDL Endorsements
Endorsements are add-ons to your Minnesota CDL that authorize specific vehicle types or cargo. Each requires a separate knowledge test, taken through Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services, and the endorsement codes are federal, so a Minnesota endorsement is recognized in every state. With grain and agribusiness, healthcare and medical supply, food manufacturing shaping Minnesota 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 Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), required to transport any quantity of hazardous materials that require placarding under federal HazMat regulations.
What to Study for the MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) 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 Minnesota (MN)
- Grain and agribusiness: anhydrous ammonia and crop chemicals under placards
- Healthcare and medical supply: cleaning agents, batteries, and other placarded retail freight
- Mining and iron ore: blasting agents and mine chemicals moving under placards
When It's Required in Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), 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 MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) Tank Vehicles test, study liquid surge and baffled tanks, outage allowances, inspections, high-center-of-gravity handling, and rollover prevention strategies.
Tank Vehicles in Minnesota (MN)
- Grain and agribusiness: liquid fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia tanks for the growing season
- Healthcare and medical supply: beverage, dairy, and food-grade liquid tankers
When It's Required in Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), 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 MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) Passenger test, study passenger safety protocols, controlled loading and unloading, emergency door operation, on-road passenger management, and distracted-driving rules.
Passenger in Minnesota (MN)
- Transit agencies, charter companies, and church or community buses across Minnesota
When It's Required in Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), 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 MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) 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 Minnesota (MN)
- Minnesota 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 Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), 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 MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) 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 Minnesota (MN)
- Grain and agribusiness: double grain hoppers at harvest where the state allows them
- Healthcare and medical supply: twin 28-foot LTL trailer sets on the interstates
- Mining and iron ore: double-trailer bulk sets hauling coal, aggregate, and ore where permitted
When It's Required in Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), 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 MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) 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 Minnesota (MN)
- Mining and iron ore: every heavy-haul and bulk truck on the mine roads
- Almost every Class A and Class B vehicle in Minnesota; skip this test and your CDL carries an L restriction
When It's Required in Minnesota
In Minnesota (MN), essential for Class A drivers operating tractor-trailers, lowboys, and other multi-unit combinations over federal weight thresholds.
What to Study for the MN Test
For the Minnesota (MN) Combination Vehicles test, study coupling and uncoupling procedures, air line connections, trailer handling characteristics, off-tracking, and full combination vehicle inspections.
Combination Vehicles in Minnesota (MN)
- Grain and agribusiness: grain hoppers from elevators to processors and terminals
- Healthcare and medical supply: regional and over-the-road tractor-trailer distribution runs
- Mining and iron ore: lowboys and heavy-haul combinations moving mining equipment
- Required for any Class A CDL issued in Minnesota
Not sure which Minnesota CDL endorsements you need?
Answer a few questions about your vehicle and operation, and the Minnesota CDL Selector Tool pinpoints the endorsements you need in Minnesota.