CDL Schools in Iowa: Behind-the-Wheel Training

58 CDL schools, truck driving schools and other training locations in Iowa (IA) are listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry for behind-the-wheel CDL training, including schools in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Waterloo, Atlantic, Muscatine. You need behind-the-wheel training from a registered provider after your ELDT theory.

Need ELDT theory? It can come from a different registered provider than your school: our $20 Class A CDL theory course is online and accepted in Iowa. The Iowa ELDT guide covers the permit and test steps.

Listed from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. We don't endorse these schools. Contact them directly to confirm courses, prices and schedules. Some registered providers only train their own employees. Report a correction

About CDL training in Iowa

Of the 58 IA locations on the registry, 48 (83%) are registered for Class A training, 56 (97%) for Class B, 45 for the passenger (P) endorsement and 42 for school bus (S); 35 also hold hazmat (H) theory, which has no driving portion, so the hazmat endorsement course can be taken online. 17 of the names are a school district, transit agency, college or other public body, which often trains only its own drivers, so the number open to the public may be smaller.

Where each class is taught: Class A in Cedar Rapids (5), Waterloo (3) and Atlantic (2); Class B in Cedar Rapids (5), Davenport (4) and Waterloo (3); the passenger (P) endorsement in Cedar Rapids (4), Davenport (3) and Waterloo (3); school bus (S) in Cedar Rapids (3), Davenport (3) and Waterloo (3).

53 of the 58 list a phone number and 35 publish a website. 18 records were updated by the provider in 2026 and 40 carry an older date; the newest IA record (Eastern Iowa Community Colleges) is from October 2026. Treat an old date as a reason to call first, not as proof that a school has closed.

The locations are spread over 45 cities; the biggest clusters are Cedar Rapids (5), Davenport (4), Waterloo (3), Atlantic (2) and Muscatine (2). Also listed: Ottumwa (2), Sioux City (2), Altoona (1), Audubon (1), Bloomfield (1), Calmar (1), Camanche (1), Centerville (1), Cherokee (1) and Council Bluffs (1). Each city heading below is a jump link, and every card shows the classes that location is registered for.

No registered location is listed in Iowa City itself; use the ZIP search for the closest one.

Not sure a provider is still registered? Read how to check a provider's registry record, and what separates theory from behind-the-wheel before you compare schools.

Before behind-the-wheel in Iowa

Schools in Iowa can only put you on the range once you hold a Commercial Learner's Permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division. Federal rules then require at least 14 days with the permit before the skills test, and the agency must see both your theory and your behind-the-wheel completions in the FMCSA registry before it gives you that test. So finish theory first, with any registered provider, then bring the permit to one of the 58 IA locations on this page (48 of them train Class A).

The Iowa ELDT guide covers the IA permit steps, agency fees and testing rules, and the online theory part costs $20 per course.

All registered schools

58 locations

Altoona

Atlantic

Audubon

Bloomfield

Calmar

Camanche

  • Camanche School District

    Camanche, 52730

    • Class B
    • Passenger
    • School bus

    Directions

    Updated in TPR: Jan 2024

Cedar Rapids

Centerville

Cherokee

Council Bluffs

Creston

Davenport

Delmar

Denison

Des Moines

DeWitt

Emmetsburg

Fort Dodge

Garnavillo

Grimes

Harlan

Johnston

Keokuk

Kingsley

Logan

Manchester

Maquoketa

Marion

Marshalltown

Mason City

Mitchellville

Montezuma

  • MONTEZUMA CMTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

    Montezuma, 50171

    • Class B
    • Passenger
    • School bus
    • Hazmat

    Directions

    Updated in TPR: Mar 2026

Muscatine

New Hampton

Ottumwa

Peosta

Sheldon

Sioux City

Strawberry Point

Waterloo

Waukon

West Burlington

Williamsburg

Wilton

  • School Transportation

    Wilton Community School

    Wilton, 52778

    • Class B
    • Passenger
    • School bus

    Directions

    Updated in TPR: Dec 2024

Woodbine

Iowa CDL school questions

Do I need behind-the-wheel training after online theory?
Yes, for a Class A or Class B CDL, the B-to-A upgrade and the passenger and school bus endorsements. Theory can be done online, but range and public-road training must be done in person with a registered provider, for example one of the Iowa schools on this page. In Iowa, 48 of the 58 registered locations are set up for Class A training and 56 for Class B; Cedar Rapids alone has 5. Hazmat is theory only.
How do I check that a school is registered?
Search the school's name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. Every school on this page comes from that registry, but listings change, so confirm before you pay.
Can I take theory and behind-the-wheel from different providers?
Yes. FMCSA lets you complete theory with one registered provider and behind-the-wheel with another. Many drivers in Iowa finish theory online first, then do range and road training in person with a local school or instructor.
How do I find a Class A truck driving school in Iowa?
Filter the list on this page by Class A. 48 of the 58 registered locations in Iowa are set up for Class A (tractor-trailer) training; the biggest clusters are in Cedar Rapids (5), Waterloo (3) and Atlantic (2). Some Class A registrants are trucking companies that train only their own new hires, so call and ask whether the school takes public students before you plan around it.

Budgeting for your CDL? See what ELDT costs in 2026 for online theory prices and the other fees.

Finish ELDT theory before behind-the-wheel in Iowa

Self-paced online theory for $20, reported to the FMCSA registry automatically.

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