South Dakota (SD) CDL manual 2026

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. 1

   Introduction

   Everyone

   You will lose your CDL for at least 60 days for your first railroad-highway grade crossing violation.

   What penalty may a court impose for holding more than one license?

   1. AA fine of up to $1,000 and no jail time
   2. BA disqualification of exactly 30 days
   3. CA fine of up to $10,000 and no jail time
   4. DA fine of up to $5,000 or a jail term

   How long will you lose your CDL for a first alcohol or felony offense committed while operating a placarded hazmat vehicle?

   1. AAt least three years
   2. BFor life
   3. CAt least one year
   4. DAt least five years
   This chapter has 25 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
2. 2

   Driving Safely

   Everyone

   Look for torque rod or arm, u-bolts, spring hangers, or other axle positioning parts that are cracked, damaged, or missing.

   You cannot avoid driving through a stretch of dense fog. Which headlight setting should you use?

   1. ALow beams, so light is not reflected back into your eyes
   2. BHigh beams, so the light reaches farther into the fog
   3. CParking lights, to reduce the glare for other drivers
   4. DFour-way flashers only, with the headlights switched off

   You are the first driver to stop at a crash scene on a busy highway. After parking your vehicle safely, what should you do first?

   1. APhotograph the damaged vehicles for the insurance companies
   2. BProtect the area with warning devices so another crash does not happen
   3. CCollect statements from witnesses while their memories are fresh
   4. DMove the damaged vehicles off the roadway onto the shoulder
   This chapter has 290 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
3. 3

   Transporting Cargo Safely

   Everyone

   Coupling devices are rated for the maximum weight they can pull and/or carry.

   Which cargo responsibility remains yours even when someone else loads the vehicle?

   1. ADetermining the freight class for billing
   2. BRecognizing overloads and poorly balanced weight
   3. CChoosing the route the shipment will take
   4. DSelecting the packaging the freight travels in

   On a flatbed, what additional risk comes with a high center of gravity?

   1. AThe deck will flex and crack over time
   2. BThe trailer will ride nose-high when loaded
   3. CThe load may shift to the side or fall off
   4. DThe tie-downs will loosen as the trip continues
   This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
4. 4

   Transporting Passengers

   P endorsement (bus)

   You do not have to stop, but must slow down and carefully check for other vehicles, at streetcar crossings.

   Which sections of the manual does the knowledge test for the passenger endorsement cover?

   1. ASections 3 and 4
   2. BSections 2 and 4
   3. CSection 4 alone
   4. DSections 1 and 4

   You have finished loading at a curbside stop and are ready to rejoin traffic in your transit bus. What should you do first?

   1. ASound the horn twice to warn the vehicles behind you
   2. BTurn on the interior lights so riders can see the aisle
   3. CAccelerate briskly to match the speed of passing cars
   4. DCheck your mirrors for traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians
   This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
5. 5

   Air Brakes

   Any vehicle with air brakes

   The spring brake check is done by fanning pressure down until the parking brake control valve pops out automatically.

   You climb into an air-braked truck and cannot find an application pressure gauge. What does that mean?

   1. AThe vehicle uses wedge brakes instead of s-cam brakes
   2. BThe vehicle has a single rather than dual air system
   3. CThe gauge is not fitted to all vehicles
   4. DThe gauge has been removed and must be replaced

   What are the two halves of a dual air brake system called?

   1. AThe service system and the reserve system
   2. BThe front circuit and the emergency circuit
   3. CThe supply system and the application system
   4. DThe primary system and the secondary system
   This chapter has 148 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
6. 6

   Combination Vehicles

   Class A

   Tractor protection valve controls or "emergency" valves on older vehicles may not operate automatically.

   While backing into a dock you lose track of how much room remains behind the trailer. What should you do?

   1. AStop, get out, and walk back to look at the space
   2. BRely on the convex mirror to judge the remaining distance
   3. CSound the horn and keep backing at a steady speed
   4. DContinue slowly and stop when you feel light contact

   While listening to the trailer brakes during coupling, what should you hear?

   1. AAir escaping continuously from both glad hand seals
   2. BA steady hiss that slowly fades as the tanks fill up
   3. CThe brakes move on application, air escapes on release
   4. DThe relay valve clicking once and then staying silent
   This chapter has 118 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
7. 7

   Doubles and Triples

   T endorsement

   To test trailer emergency brakes, charge the trailer air brake system and check that the trailer rolls freely before applying them.

   Which air lines must continue past the converter dolly to reach the second trailer of a set of doubles?

   1. ANeither; the dolly's tank supplies the rear trailer
   2. BBoth the service line and the emergency line
   3. COnly the service line
   4. DOnly the emergency line

   Before backing the converter dolly under the second trailer, the trailer's nose height should be:

   1. AExactly level with the top of the dolly fifth wheel
   2. BResting on its landing gear pads at ground level
   3. CWell above the fifth wheel so it drops on hard
   4. DSlightly lower than the center of the dolly fifth wheel
   This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
8. 8

   Tank Vehicles

   N endorsement

   In stab braking the driver applies the brakes fully, releases when the wheels lock, and reapplies when the wheels begin rolling again.

   Inside cargo tanks, what is the key structural difference between a bulkhead and a baffle?

   1. AA bulkhead is removable for cleaning, while a baffle is welded in place
   2. BA bulkhead is solid and seals off compartments; a baffle has holes that let liquid pass
   3. CA bulkhead runs lengthwise along the tank, while a baffle runs across it
   4. DA bulkhead strengthens the tank shell, while a baffle only supports the piping

   Compared with most other kinds of cargo, why does a load of liquid in a tank make a truck easier to roll over?

   1. ALiquid cargo gradually lowers the air pressure in the tires
   2. BMuch of the load's weight is carried high above the roadway
   3. CLiquid loads are always heavier than dry freight loads
   4. DTank trailers ride on narrower axles than flatbed trailers
   This chapter has 62 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
9. 9

   Hazardous Materials

   H endorsement

   You may use DANGEROUS placards instead of separate placards only if you have not loaded 2,205 pounds or more of any Table 2 hazard class material at any one place.

   How do you make hazardous materials shipping papers stand out from the rest?

   1. AMark the reverse side with a hazard symbol
   2. BFold them lengthwise inside the others
   3. CTab them or keep them on top of the stack
   4. DStore them separately in the sleeper

   On a portable tank holding less than 1,000 gallons, how tall must the shipping name letters be?

   1. AAt least one inch
   2. BAt least three inches
   3. CAt least two inches
   4. DThere is no minimum for tanks that small
   This chapter has 234 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
10. 10

    School Buses

    S endorsement

    When the bus is not itself in danger, students are usually safer inside it than standing exposed near traffic.

    How far can the blind spot behind a school bus extend, depending on the bus's size?

    1. AUp to about 100 feet
    2. BUp to about 400 feet
    3. CUp to about 200 feet
    4. DUp to about 800 feet

    About how far before a railroad crossing should a school bus driver activate the hazard lights?

    1. A500 feet
    2. B100 feet
    3. C50 feet
    4. D200 feet
    This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.
11. 11

    Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection

    Everyone (skills test)

    Inspect that the strobe, amber, and red light indicators on the dash are operational.

    What do rust streaks or shiny metal trails radiating out from a wheel's lug nuts usually indicate?

    1. ANormal cosmetic wear from routine tire rotations
    2. BSurface corrosion caused by winter road salt
    3. COver-tightening by a shop's impact wrench
    4. DLug nuts that have worked themselves loose

    What must be true of the lug nuts on every wheel?

    1. AAll fitted with locking washers
    2. BAll of the same manufacturer
    3. CAll present and not loose
    4. DAll torqued within the past 30 days
    This chapter has 200 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.

The official South Dakota CDL manual