Penalties & Licensing

Study questions with answers

12 sample Penalties & Licensing questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. Testing for the skills exam in a vehicle with an automatic transmission produces which restriction?

   Correct answer: No manual transmission vehicles

   If the skills test is done in an automatic, the license carries the 'E' restriction, which bars the driver from operating a commercial vehicle with a manual gearbox.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Restrictions)

2. 2. A vehicle built to seat how many people, counting the driver, requires a CDL no matter its weight?

   Correct answer: 16 or more

   The manual places any vehicle designed to carry 16 or more occupants, driver included, under the commercial program regardless of how heavy it is.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (CDL Classifications)

3. 3. Which three segments make up the CDL skills test, taken in the order the manual specifies?

   Correct answer: Vehicle inspection, basic control, and on-road driving

   The skills test runs in order: vehicle inspection, then basic vehicle control, then on-road driving, and each must be passed before the next.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Skills Tests)

4. 4. What does the CDL restriction code 'L' place on a driver?

   Correct answer: No commercial vehicle equipped with air brakes

   An 'L' restriction bars the holder from operating any commercial vehicle equipped with air brakes, applied when the driver skips or fails the air-brake portion or tests in a vehicle without them.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Restrictions)

5. 5. How many kinds of endorsements does the manual say may be added to a CDL for special vehicles or cargo?

   Correct answer: Six

   The handbook lists six endorsement categories: doubles/triples, tank, passenger, hazardous materials, the combined hazmat-tank, and school bus.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (CDL Endorsements)

6. 6. When applying for a commercial driving job, how many years of prior driving jobs must you disclose?

   Correct answer: The past 10 years

   Applicants must give the employer details on every driving job held over the previous 10 years.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Other CDL Rules)

7. 7. How many licenses is a commercial driver permitted to hold at one time?

   Correct answer: One

   A CDL holder may carry only one license; breaking this rule can bring a court fine of up to $5,000 or jail time.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Other CDL Rules)

8. 8. A driver who earns a Class A CDL is automatically allowed to operate which other groups?

   Correct answer: Both Class B and Class C

   Because the skills for Class A include everything needed for lighter groups, a Class A holder may also drive Class B and Class C vehicles, endorsements aside.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (CDL Classifications)

9. 9. Within how long must you tell your employer after being convicted of a traffic violation other than parking?

   Correct answer: Within 30 days

   The rules require notifying your employer within 30 days of any traffic conviction except parking, regardless of the vehicle you were driving.

   Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Other CDL Rules)

10. 10. What is the lowest gross vehicle weight rating that forces a driver to hold a CDL for a single truck?

    Correct answer: 26,001 pounds or more

    Any single vehicle rated at 26,001 pounds or more is treated as a commercial motor vehicle, so a commercial license is mandatory to operate it.

    Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (CDL Classifications)

11. 11. How must a commercial driver be secured at all times while the vehicle is in operation?

    Correct answer: Properly restrained by a safety belt

    A safety belt must be worn the whole time you operate a commercial vehicle; unbelted drivers thrown from the cab are far more likely to be killed.

    Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (Other CDL Rules)

12. 12. Which combination fits the Group A commercial class?

    Correct answer: A rig rated at 26,001 pounds or more pulling a unit rated over 10,000 pounds

    Group A is any combination rated 26,001 pounds or more where the trailer or trailers being towed carry a rating above 10,000 pounds.

    Source: Utah CDL Manual — Section 1: Introduction (CDL Classifications)