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Commercial Driver License

Minnesota CDL Classes Explained

Which Minnesota 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 Minnesota CDL is valid nationwide. Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services issues the license and runs the knowledge and skills tests. Minnesota's diverse economy generates CDL demand across agriculture, healthcare distribution, and mining sectors.

A Class A Tractor-trailers & combinations › B Class B Straight trucks & heavy buses › C Class C Passenger, school bus & HazMat
A
Highest Authority

Class A CDL

🚛 GCWR 26,001 lbs+ with towed unit over 10,000 lbs
Most Common

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 Minnesota

Class A is the license behind most of Minnesota's long-haul and heavy freight, much of it moving on I-35, I-90, I-94. With grain and agribusiness, healthcare and medical supply, food manufacturing driving demand, typical Minnesota Class A work includes:

  • Grain and agribusiness: grain hoppers running from elevators to processors and export terminals
  • Healthcare and medical supply: regional and over-the-road distribution runs for grocery, retail, and e-commerce freight
  • Mining and iron ore: bulk end-dumps, belly-dump hoppers, and heavy-haul equipment moves for the mines

Apply, test, and schedule through Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. Not sure this is your class? Use the Minnesota CDL Selector.

Study for Minnesota Class A CDL → Find My CDL Class
B
Single Heavy Vehicle

Class B CDL

🚚 GVWR 26,001 lbs+, limited towing

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 Minnesota

Class B covers the single heavy vehicles that keep Minnesota moving locally: no tractor-trailer, but everything from dump trucks to full-size buses. Typical Minnesota Class B work includes:

  • Grain and agribusiness: single-unit grain and feed trucks at harvest (many states offer a restricted farm CDL)
  • Healthcare and medical supply: local delivery straight trucks and last-mile box trucks
  • Mining and iron ore: on-road dump trucks and water trucks around mine and quarry sites
  • Transit and school districts: city buses and full-size school buses across Minnesota (P and S endorsements)

Apply, test, and schedule through Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. Not sure this is your class? Use the Minnesota CDL Selector.

Study for Minnesota Class B CDL → Find My CDL Class
C
Passenger, School Bus & HazMat

Class C CDL

🚌 Below Class A/B threshold, special operation

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 Minnesota

Class C applies to lighter vehicles in Minnesota that still need a CDL because of what they carry: 16 or more passengers, or placarded hazardous materials. Typical Minnesota Class C work includes:

  • Healthcare and medical supply: light HazMat delivery routes when the load requires placards
  • Mining and iron ore: crew and shift-change buses (P endorsement) and light HazMat runs to the sites
  • Smaller school buses and activity buses for Minnesota school districts (P and S endorsements)
  • Shuttle, paratransit, and church or community vans built for 16 or more passengers

Apply, test, and schedule through Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. Not sure this is your class? Use the Minnesota CDL Selector.

Study for Minnesota Class C CDL → Find My CDL Class

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.

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