Wisconsin CDL Endorsements
Endorsements are add-ons to your Wisconsin CDL that authorize specific vehicle types or cargo. Each requires a separate knowledge test, taken through Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and the endorsement codes are federal, so a Wisconsin endorsement is recognized in every state. With dairy and food processing, paper and printing, automotive parts shaping Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), required to transport any quantity of hazardous materials that require placarding under federal HazMat regulations.
What to Study for the WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) 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 Wisconsin (WI)
- Paper and printing: roofing, coatings, and compressed-gas deliveries to job sites
When It's Required in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), 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 WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) Tank Vehicles test, study liquid surge and baffled tanks, outage allowances, inspections, high-center-of-gravity handling, and rollover prevention strategies.
Tank Vehicles in Wisconsin (WI)
- Dairy and food processing: milk tankers running farm-to-plant routes
- Farm machinery and agriculture: juice, wine, and liquid food tankers where the crop calls for it
When It's Required in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), 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 WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) Passenger test, study passenger safety protocols, controlled loading and unloading, emergency door operation, on-road passenger management, and distracted-driving rules.
Passenger in Wisconsin (WI)
- Farm machinery and agriculture: farm labor crew buses carrying 16 or more workers
- Transit agencies, charter companies, and church or community buses across Wisconsin
When It's Required in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), 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 WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) 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 Wisconsin (WI)
- Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), 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 WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) 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 Wisconsin (WI)
- LTL carriers running twin-trailer sets on Wisconsin interstates, where permitted
When It's Required in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), 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 WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) 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 Wisconsin (WI)
- Paper and printing: dump trucks, mixers, and flatbed tractors on construction routes
- Automotive parts: the tractors and straight trucks on every plant route
- Almost every Class A and Class B vehicle in Wisconsin; skip this test and your CDL carries an L restriction
When It's Required in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin (WI), essential for Class A drivers operating tractor-trailers, lowboys, and other multi-unit combinations over federal weight thresholds.
What to Study for the WI Test
For the Wisconsin (WI) Combination Vehicles test, study coupling and uncoupling procedures, air line connections, trailer handling characteristics, off-tracking, and full combination vehicle inspections.
Combination Vehicles in Wisconsin (WI)
- Dairy and food processing: refrigerated dairy loads to processors and distributors
- Paper and printing: flatbed and step-deck loads of steel, lumber, and building materials
- Automotive parts: just-in-time parts loads between assembly plants and suppliers
- Farm machinery and agriculture: refrigerated produce loads to distribution centers and out of state
Not sure which Wisconsin CDL endorsements you need?
Answer a few questions about your vehicle and operation, and the Wisconsin CDL Selector Tool pinpoints the endorsements you need in Wisconsin.