{
  "$schema": "https://govschema.org/spec/v0.3/govschema.schema.json",
  "govschemaVersion": "0.3.0",
  "id": "us/ca/dmv/commercial-drivers-license-application",
  "version": "1.1.0",
  "title": "California Commercial Driver License (CDL) Application",
  "description": "Apply for a California Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) as the first step toward a Class A, B, or C Commercial Driver's License (CDL) through the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This document models the CDL/CLP application (Form DL 44C / eDL 44C): applicant identity, the existing noncommercial licence prerequisite, the class and endorsements requested, the federal self-certification of commerce type, prior-licence history, and medical certification. It does not model the later in-person skills test or CDL issuance, and it does not submit the application; the live dmv.ca.gov source is always authoritative (see verification).",
  "status": "draft",
  "jurisdiction": {
    "country": "US",
    "subdivision": "US-CA",
    "level": "subnational"
  },
  "authority": {
    "name": "California Department of Motor Vehicles",
    "abbreviation": "CA DMV",
    "url": "https://www.dmv.ca.gov/"
  },
  "process": {
    "type": "application",
    "language": "en-US"
  },
  "source": {
    "url": "https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/commercial-driver-licenses-cdl/",
    "retrievedAt": "2026-07-01",
    "documentRef": "DL 44C / eDL 44C"
  },
  "verification": {
    "method": "manual-source-review-v1",
    "lastVerifiedAt": "2026-07-01",
    "verifiedBy": "GovSchema Engineering",
    "nextReviewBy": "2027-01-01",
    "notes": "Source-derived reference schema authored from the official CA DMV CDL overview and commercial driver handbook Section 1 (introduction), plus the federal CDL endorsement/restriction code table at 49 CFR 383.153 and the federal self-certification categories at 49 CFR 383.71/391.11 (both incorporated by reference into California's program, so cited directly as the primary source for those enumerations). The CLP eligibility prerequisites, the class/endorsement/self-certification fields, and the prior-licence-history and medical-certificate triggers were confirmed against these sources; individual field labels reflect the DL 44C / eDL 44C application but the live online form's exact screen-by-screen order was not captured. Status remains 'draft' pending full field-by-field source review of the eDL 44C flow itself. See VERIFICATION.md."
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "fields": [
    {
      "name": "lastName",
      "label": "Last name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. True full legal name as it appears on your identity document.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Name",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 100 }
    },
    {
      "name": "firstName",
      "label": "First name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Name",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 100 }
    },
    {
      "name": "middleName",
      "label": "Middle name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Name",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 100 }
    },
    {
      "name": "dateOfBirth",
      "label": "Date of birth",
      "type": "date",
      "classification": "sensitive-pii",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Full date, YYYY-MM-DD. Applicant must be at least 18 to drive intrastate commerce; at least 21 is required to drive interstate commerce, transport hazardous materials, or hold the hazardous materials or tank vehicle endorsements.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL overview — age requirements"
    },
    {
      "name": "socialSecurityNumber",
      "label": "Social Security number",
      "type": "string",
      "classification": "sensitive-pii",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. 9 digits, no dashes. An original Social Security card is required to confirm this for a first CDL application.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL overview — proof of Social Security number",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[0-9]{9}$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "californiaDriverLicenseNumber",
      "label": "Current California driver's license number",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. You must already hold a valid California noncommercial Class C driver's license (a temporary/interim licence is acceptable) before a CLP can be issued. One letter followed by 7 digits, e.g. D1234567.",
      "sourceRef": "Commercial driver handbook §1 — CLP prerequisite",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[A-Z][0-9]{7}$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "residenceAddressLine1",
      "label": "Residence address — street address",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Must match a residency document if you have never held a California DL or ID.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Residence address",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 120 }
    },
    {
      "name": "residenceAddressLine2",
      "label": "Residence address — apartment, suite, or unit (optional)",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Residence address",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 120 }
    },
    {
      "name": "residenceAddressCity",
      "label": "Residence address — city",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Residence address",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "residenceAddressPostalCode",
      "label": "Residence address — ZIP code",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. 5-digit or ZIP+4 format, e.g. 90210 or 90210-1234. The state is California (US-CA).",
      "sourceRef": "DL 44C — Residence address",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[0-9]{5}(-[0-9]{4})?$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "cdlClassRequested",
      "label": "Commercial licence class requested",
      "type": "enum",
      "required": true,
      "description": "class_a = any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001+ lbs where the towed unit exceeds 10,000 lbs; class_b = any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 lbs (or towing a unit of 10,000 lbs or less); class_c = a smaller vehicle that nonetheless requires a CDL because it is designed to transport 16+ people (including the driver) or placarded hazardous materials.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications",
      "validation": { "enum": ["class_a", "class_b", "class_c"] }
    },
    {
      "name": "endorsementHazardousMaterials",
      "label": "Hazardous materials endorsement (H)",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Requires a TSA security threat assessment in addition to the knowledge test. If both this and endorsementTankVehicle are true, California issues the combined X endorsement instead of separate H and N endorsements (49 CFR 383.153).",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications — endorsements"
    },
    {
      "name": "endorsementTankVehicle",
      "label": "Tank vehicle endorsement (N)",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Knowledge test required. See endorsementHazardousMaterials for the combined-X rule when both are requested.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications — endorsements"
    },
    {
      "name": "endorsementPassenger",
      "label": "Passenger endorsement (P)",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Knowledge and skills tests required. Needed to transport 16 or more people including the driver.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications — endorsements"
    },
    {
      "name": "endorsementSchoolBus",
      "label": "School bus endorsement (S)",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Knowledge and skills tests required; requires the passenger endorsement as well.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications — endorsements"
    },
    {
      "name": "endorsementDoubleTriple",
      "label": "Double/triple trailers endorsement (T)",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Knowledge test required. Needed to pull two or three trailers at once (Class A only).",
      "sourceRef": "CDL classes & certifications — endorsements"
    },
    {
      "name": "selfCertifiedCommerceType",
      "label": "Self-certified type of commercial motor vehicle operation",
      "type": "enum",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Federal self-certification categories (49 CFR 383.71): non_excepted_interstate = interstate commerce, subject to full federal driver qualification and medical certificate rules; excepted_interstate = interstate commerce, exempt from the federal medical certificate rule; non_excepted_intrastate = California only, still requires a medical examiner's certificate; excepted_intrastate = California only, exempt from the medical certificate rule. If any interstate operation is possible, DMV guidance recommends certifying interstate rather than intrastate. non_excepted_intrastate carries a DMV-applied Intrastate Only (K) restriction.",
      "sourceRef": "Commercial driver handbook §1 — self-certification of commerce type",
      "validation": {
        "enum": [
          "non_excepted_interstate",
          "excepted_interstate",
          "non_excepted_intrastate",
          "excepted_intrastate"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "licensedInOtherJurisdictionLast10Years",
      "label": "Have you held a driver's license of any kind, in any other US state or jurisdiction, at any time in the last 10 years?",
      "type": "boolean",
      "required": true,
      "description": "If true, a completed 10 Year History Record Check (Form DL 939) covering that period must also be provided.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL overview — 10 Year History Record Check (DL 939)"
    },
    {
      "name": "medicalExaminerCertificateExpirationDate",
      "label": "Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC) expiration date",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Full date, YYYY-MM-DD. Required for both non_excepted_interstate and non_excepted_intrastate self-certification; not required for the two excepted categories (leave at the source form's 'not applicable' option in that case). Issued from a Medical Examination Report (MCSA-5875) and Medical Examiner's Certificate (MCSA-5876) completed within 2 years by an examiner on the FMCSA National Registry.",
      "sourceRef": "CDL overview — Medical Examination Report / Medical Examiner's Certificate"
    }
  ],
  "steps": [
    {
      "id": "identify",
      "title": "Identify yourself and your current licence",
      "fields": [
        "lastName",
        "firstName",
        "middleName",
        "dateOfBirth",
        "socialSecurityNumber",
        "californiaDriverLicenseNumber"
      ],
      "next": "address"
    },
    {
      "id": "address",
      "title": "Residence address",
      "fields": [
        "residenceAddressLine1",
        "residenceAddressLine2",
        "residenceAddressCity",
        "residenceAddressPostalCode"
      ],
      "next": "class_and_endorsements"
    },
    {
      "id": "class_and_endorsements",
      "title": "Class, endorsements, and commerce type",
      "fields": [
        "cdlClassRequested",
        "endorsementHazardousMaterials",
        "endorsementTankVehicle",
        "endorsementPassenger",
        "endorsementSchoolBus",
        "endorsementDoubleTriple",
        "selfCertifiedCommerceType"
      ],
      "next": "history_and_medical"
    },
    {
      "id": "history_and_medical",
      "title": "Licence history and medical certification",
      "fields": [
        "licensedInOtherJurisdictionLast10Years",
        "medicalExaminerCertificateExpirationDate"
      ]
    }
  ]
}