Montana (MT) CDL manual 2026
Reading the manual is not the same as passing the test on it. Practice it instead: every chapter below has real test questions you can answer right here, plus what Montana does its own way.
Practice the manual, chapter by chapter
State manuals are built on the same national model, chapter for chapter. One thing to know from each chapter, then real questions from it to answer — tap an option to check yourself.
- 1
Introduction
Everyone
You must notify your motor vehicle licensing agency within 30 days if you are convicted in any other jurisdiction of any traffic violation, except parking.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.How far above the posted limit counts as excessive speeding for a serious traffic violation?
Fifteen over is the line. Below it the ticket is an ordinary speeding offense rather than one of the serious violations that stack toward disqualification.
Manual section 1.3.3
What is the disqualification for a first railroad-highway grade crossing violation?
A single crossing violation costs at least 60 days, rising to 120 for a second within three years and a year for a third.
Manual section 1.3.5
- 2
Driving Safely
Everyone
Check for optional items such as chains where winter conditions require, tire changing equipment, a list of emergency phone numbers, and an accident reporting kit.
This chapter has 290 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What must be confirmed before you open the engine compartment in Step 2?
You are about to work at the front of the vehicle. It has to be held in place before you get there.
Manual section 2.1.5
Why do experienced drivers avoid backing their commercial vehicle whenever they can?
Because a driver can never see the entire area behind the vehicle, every backing maneuver carries risk, so the safest plan is to avoid backing whenever possible.
Manual section 2.2
- 3
Transporting Cargo Safely
Everyone
Stopping distance increases with overloading, and brakes can fail when forced to work too hard.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What happens when there is too little weight on the driving axles?
The drive wheels need weight on them to grip. Without it they spin, and in bad weather the truck may not be able to keep moving at all.
Manual section 3.2.4
On a flatbed, what additional risk comes with a high center of gravity?
A van's walls contain a shifting load. On an open deck there is nothing to stop it going over the side once it starts moving.
Manual section 3.2.4
- 4
Transporting Passengers
P endorsement (bus)
There are nine different four-inch, diamond-shaped hazard labels.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Your coach is low on fuel mid-trip and a truck stop is ahead. What is the general rule about refueling while your passengers remain in their seats?
Fueling a bus with riders aboard should be avoided unless it is truly necessary, because fuel handling creates a fire risk close to the passengers.
Manual section 4.4
You have finished loading at a curbside stop and are ready to rejoin traffic in your transit bus. What should you do first?
Before leaving a stop, the driver must check the mirrors to make sure the path is clear of vehicles, bicycles, and people walking near the bus.
Manual section 4.3
- 5
Air Brakes
Any vehicle with air brakes
Controlled braking is braking as hard as possible without locking the wheels, with only small steering inputs.
This chapter has 148 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.How is a manually operated air tank drain valve worked?
Manual drains are built either as a quarter-turn valve at the bottom of the tank or as a valve operated by a cable the driver can reach.
Manual section 5.1.4
How do the brake lights come on when you apply the brakes on a vehicle with air brakes?
Air brake vehicles use an electric stop light switch that is operated by air pressure; applying the brakes sends air through the switch, which turns on the brake lights.
Manual section 5.1.12
- 6
Combination Vehicles
Class A
Once the trailer wheels grip the road again, the trailer will start to follow the tractor and straighten out.
This chapter has 118 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What steering habit best protects a doubles driver from tipping the rear trailer through rearward amplification?
Gentle, gradual steering keeps the motion transferred to the trailers small, preventing the amplified swing that can tip the rearmost unit.
Manual section 6.1.2
The trailer wheels lock and the trailer begins to swing around. What is this kind of jackknife called?
Locked trailer wheels swinging the trailer around is the trailer jackknife. A tractor jackknife is the different case where the tractor's own drive wheels lose grip.
Manual section 6.1.5
- 7
Doubles and Triples
T endorsement
Longer combination vehicles require greater following distance at all times.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.When hooking air lines between the first trailer and the converter dolly, how do you avoid crossing them?
Service and emergency lines are color coded, commonly blue for service and red for emergency, so matching like to like prevents crossed lines.
Manual section 7.2
Your tractor has a sliding fifth wheel. What must be true of its locking pins during inspection?
Every locking pin has to be there and engaged. A slide that can move under braking shifts weight and changes how the rig handles without warning.
Manual section 7.3.1
- 8
Tank Vehicles
N endorsement
Drivers of tanks with special purpose equipment must know how that equipment operates before driving.
This chapter has 62 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.You brake to a stop at a red light in a loaded tanker. What can the forward-moving wave of liquid do to your vehicle?
When a tank vehicle stops, the liquid keeps moving and slams toward the front of the tank. That fore-aft surge can shove the whole vehicle ahead, which is why drivers must stop well short of the crosswalk or the vehicle ahead.
Manual section 8.2
What is the best overall driving style for keeping liquid surge under control in a loaded tank vehicle?
Every abrupt change in speed or direction sets the liquid in motion. Smooth, gradual inputs on the brakes, throttle, and steering keep the wave small and the vehicle stable.
Manual section 8.3
- 9
Hazardous Materials
H endorsement
Before loading or unloading, set the parking brake and make sure the vehicle will not move.
This chapter has 234 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Which classes may not be carried as overhang or tailgate loads?
Explosives, flammable solids, and oxidizers must ride in a closed cargo space unless the packages themselves are fire and water resistant or under a resistant tarp.
Manual section 9.4.1
On a portable tank holding less than 1,000 gallons, how tall must the shipping name letters be?
Below 1,000 gallons the letters may be one inch tall, half the height required on the larger portable tanks.
Manual section 9.5.1
- 10
School Buses
S endorsement
During the post-trip inspection, pay special attention to items unique to school buses: mirror systems, flashing warning lamps, and stop signal arms.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What does a sign mounted below the cross-buck tell you?
Where the road crosses more than one set of tracks, a sign under the cross-buck gives the count, so you know how much rail you must clear.
Manual section 10.4.2
How far upwind should students be led if spilled hazardous materials are a risk?
A hazmat risk calls for at least 300 feet upwind, considerably farther than the 100 feet used for an ordinary roadside evacuation.
Manual section 10.3.2
- 11
Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection
Everyone (skills test)
Inspect that the visible part of the apron is not bent, cracked, or broken.
This chapter has 200 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What must be true of the lug nuts on every wheel?
Every nut must be there and tight. Rust trails or shiny threads around a nut are the signs that it has been working loose.
Manual section 11.5.2
What is the stated function of the lug nuts?
That is the whole job, and it is why loose or missing nuts can end with the wheel leaving the vehicle.
Manual section 11.5.2
What’s different in Montana
Most of every state manual is the same federal material. These are the parts that are not.
- A semi-tractor is not considered a Class B vehicle and cannot be used as such for testing.
- Effective November 13, 2023, applicants seeking to obtain a Class A or B license for the first time, upgrade an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL, or obtain a School Bus, Passenger, or Hazardous Materials endorsement for the first time, will be required to complete ELDT.
The official Montana CDL manual
Published free by Montana DOJ Motor Vehicle Division
On their site, search for “CDL manual” to download the latest edition.