ELDT Training in Alabama — FMCSA-Registered Online Course

New CDL applicants in Alabama, from Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile and Tuscaloosa, need Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) from a registered provider before Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division will give them the skills test. Lowest Cost ELDT is on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, so the AL theory portion is done online for $20 and your Alabama record is reported automatically.

How to get your CDL in Alabama

  1. Get your CLP from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division

    Pass the CDL knowledge tests, plus any endorsement tests, at a AL licensing office.

  2. Complete ELDT theory online

    Finish the Class A or Class B theory course here, $20, at your own pace from anywhere in Alabama; bus drivers add the passenger course and school bus drivers both the passenger and school bus courses.

  3. We report it to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry

    Your completion is submitted automatically, usually within minutes; the AL licensing agency checks the registry electronically before your skills test.

  4. Finish behind-the-wheel training in Alabama

    Range and public-road training is done in person with one of the registered AL providers listed below, for example in Birmingham; it can be a different provider from your theory course.

  5. Pass the CDL skills test in Alabama

    Federal rule 49 CFR 383.25 requires you to hold the AL CLP at least 14 days first; then book the pre-trip, basic control and road test with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division.

Alabama licensing details

CLP fee
Varies; check the current fee on the ALEA site
CDL fee
Varies; check the current fee on the ALEA site
  • Since June 23, 2025 ALEA only accepts DOT medical certifications sent electronically by your medical examiner; paper cards and uploads are no longer accepted.
  • Alabama uses the modernized CDL skills test, whose basic control section has four maneuvers including forward stop and forward offset tracking.

These AL fees and procedures are set by the agency and change without notice; confirm them on the official site before you go. Training costs are separate from Alabama fees: see what ELDT costs in 2026.

Behind-the-wheel schools in Alabama

AL has 77 registered training locations across 52 cities on the FMCSA registry: 59 registered for Class A, 68 for Class B, 52 for the passenger endorsement and 44 for school bus. 31 of the 77 (40%) publish a website, and the newest AL registry record dates from October 2026.

Browse by city: Birmingham CDL schools, Huntsville CDL schools and Montgomery CDL schools, or open the full Alabama school directory with phone numbers and the classes each location teaches.

Counts come from the FMCSA registry export. We do not endorse any AL school; confirm courses, schedules and prices with the provider.

Hazmat endorsement in Alabama

32 of the 77 registered Alabama locations are hazmat (H) theory locations. Hazmat ELDT is theory only, so AL drivers can take the $20 hazmat endorsement course online, warm up with the free hazmat practice test, then pass the Alabama hazmat knowledge test and complete the TSA security threat assessment.

Courses accepted in Alabama

Each course is the federal curriculum, reported to the Training Provider Registry when a AL driver passes.

Class A

CLASS A CDL

For combination vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001+ lbs, where the towed vehicle is over 10,000 lbs.

For first-time Class A applicants. Reported to FMCSA as a New Class A application. Already hold a Class B CDL and want Class A? Choose the Class B to Class A Upgrade course instead.

30 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll
Class B

CLASS B CDL

For single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001+ lbs, or towing vehicles under 10,000 lbs.

For first-time Class B applicants. Reported to FMCSA as a New Class B application.

29 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll
Class A

CLASS B TO CLASS A UPGRADE

Class B to Class A upgrade theory curriculum covering advanced commercial vehicle operation, safety procedures, inspections, control skills, and compliance requirements for drivers moving from Class B to Class A CDL.

Class B to Class A upgrade. Reported to FMCSA as an Upgrade. Only for drivers who currently hold a valid Class B CDL.

3 hours
22 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll
School Bus

SCHOOL BUS ENDORSEMENT

Required endorsement for all school bus drivers, covering safety protocols and procedures.

11 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll
Passenger

PASSENGER ENDORSEMENT

Required for drivers operating vehicles designed to transport 16+ passengers.

5 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll
Hazmat

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ENDORSEMENT

Required theory training for transporting hazardous materials safely and legally.

12 hours
13 lessons
English
  • FMCSA Compliant Curriculum
  • TPR Submission Included
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Mobile-Friendly Access
$20
View CourseEnroll

Alabama ELDT questions

Will ALEA accept ELDT theory I completed online?
Yes. ALEA checks the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before scheduling your skills test, and theory from any registered provider, including an online one, satisfies the federal requirement.
How does my DOT medical card reach ALEA?
Your certified medical examiner submits it electronically through the National Registry. ALEA stopped accepting paper medical cards in June 2025, so confirm your examiner is on the registry before your physical.
What is different about the Alabama CDL skills test now?
ALEA adopted the modernized test: the vehicle inspection focuses on safety-critical parts, and the basic control skills portion now has four maneuvers, including forward stop and forward offset tracking, before the road segment.
Where can I do behind-the-wheel training in Alabama?
With one of the 77 Alabama locations on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, including locations in Birmingham, Huntsville and Montgomery; 59 are registered for Class A training and 68 for Class B. Theory and behind-the-wheel training can come from different registered providers, so you can finish the online theory first and then choose a school. Each school sets its own schedule and pricing, and some registered providers, such as school districts and transit agencies, train only their own drivers, so confirm before you enroll; we do not endorse any of them.

Start your AL CDL training today

$20 online theory, accepted in Alabama and reported to the FMCSA registry automatically.

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