Virginia (VA) 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 Virginia does its own way.
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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 will be denied or lose your hazardous materials endorsement if you are considered to pose a security threat as determined by the Transportation Security Administration.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.How long do you lose your CDL for two serious traffic violations in a three-year period?
Two serious violations within three years cost at least 60 days. A third within the same window raises it to 120.
Manual section 1.3.3
How long will you lose your CDL for a first alcohol or felony offense committed while operating a placarded hazmat vehicle?
The ordinary first-offense penalty is one year, but committing the offense in a vehicle placarded for hazardous materials raises it to three.
Manual section 1.3.2
- 2
Driving Safely
Everyone
Your goal should be to eliminate all in-vehicle distractions before driving begins.
This chapter has 290 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What is the final action of the engine compartment step?
An unsecured hood or cab can come open at speed, which is why the step ends by closing and latching whatever was opened.
Manual section 2.1.5
When does the manual tell you to be especially alert for drunk and sleepy drivers?
Late night is when both impairments are most common, so the clues to look for matter most in those hours.
Manual section 2.8.3
- 3
Transporting Cargo Safely
Everyone
Axle Weight is the weight transmitted to the ground by one axle or one set of axles.
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
Which of these is named as proper tie-down equipment?
Tie-downs must be of the proper type and strength, and they must be attached to the vehicle correctly using hooks, bolts, rails, or rings.
Manual section 3.3.2
- 4
Transporting Passengers
P endorsement (bus)
As you check the outside of the bus, close any open emergency exits.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.A standee line is painted on the floor of buses that allow standing riders. What does this line mark?
The standee line is a line on the floor near the driver, and no rider may stand forward of it while the bus is in motion. It keeps standing passengers out of the driver's view and working space.
Manual section 4.3
A rider stacks several suitcases against a window marked as an emergency exit on your intercity bus. Why must you have the bags moved?
Carry-on baggage must be placed so that all emergency exits stay clear and usable; anything blocking an exit defeats its purpose in an evacuation.
Manual section 4.2
- 5
Air Brakes
Any vehicle with air brakes
A safety relief valve is installed in the first tank the air compressor pumps air to, protecting the tank and the rest of the system from too much pressure.
This chapter has 148 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Besides a red warning light, what device do many air-braked vehicles use to alert the driver to low air pressure?
Low air pressure warning systems commonly pair a red light with an audible buzzer so the driver cannot miss the warning.
Manual section 5.1.11
What are the two halves of a dual air brake system called?
One half is called primary and the other secondary, and each has its own tanks, lines, and gauge reading.
Manual section 5.2
- 6
Combination Vehicles
Class A
The final coupling step is to remove the trailer wheel chocks and store them in a safe place.
This chapter has 118 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Your trailer is hung up on a railroad crossing and will not move. What is the first thing you do?
Nothing on the vehicle is worth being in it when a train arrives. You get clear of the tracks first, then look for the emergency notification information posted at the crossing.
Manual section 6.1.4
Why is a fully loaded tractor-trailer more likely to roll over in a curve than a passenger car?
The higher a vehicle's center of gravity sits, the more easily it tips in a curve, and a loaded combination carries much of its weight well above the roadway.
Manual section 6.1.1
- 7
Doubles and Triples
T endorsement
Lower fifth wheel check: securely mounted to the frame, no missing or damaged parts, enough grease.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Before backing the converter dolly under the second trailer, the trailer's nose height should be:
The trailer should sit just below the fifth wheel so it is raised slightly as the dolly slides under, ensuring a snug coupling.
Manual section 7.2
How should you adjust your driving when pulling doubles in rain or snow?
Multi-trailer rigs are more vulnerable in bad weather, so slower speeds and added caution are required.
Manual section 7.1
- 8
Tank Vehicles
N endorsement
Never drive a tank vehicle with open valves or manhole covers.
This chapter has 62 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What does the manual say wet roads do to normal stopping distance?
Wet pavement doubles the distance needed, which is a large allowance to find in traffic when the load behind you is also surging.
Manual section 8.3.4
During a pre-trip inspection of a cargo tank, what is the most important thing to check the tank body, piping, and valves for?
The single most important tank inspection item is checking for leaks. It is illegal and dangerous to transport cargo in a leaking tank, and the driver can be cited and shut down for doing so.
Manual section 8.1
- 9
Hazardous Materials
H endorsement
Table 2 hazard classes need placards only if the total amount transported is 1,001 pounds or more including the package.
This chapter has 234 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.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
What makes a container a cargo tank rather than a portable tank?
Cargo tanks are bulk packaging built onto the vehicle and stay there through loading and unloading. Portable tanks are the ones that come off.
Manual section 9.5
- 10
School Buses
S endorsement
The crossover mirrors, along with the convex and flat mirrors, should be viewed in a logical sequence to ensure that a child or object is not in any of the danger zones.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.During an emergency on the route, who is primarily responsible for deciding whether students evacuate the bus or stay on board?
The driver is in charge of the bus and its passengers and must weigh the hazards and decide whether staying aboard or evacuating is safer.
Manual section 10.3
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)
Rust trails around lug nuts can mean the nuts are loose.
This chapter has 200 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.With the engine in what state are the critical fluid levels inspected?
The fluids are checked with the engine off, which is also why the caution about the radiator cap applies.
Manual section 11.5.1
How many parts make up the air brake check, and what happens if you get one wrong?
The air brake check has four parts, and failing to explain and demonstrate all four correctly is an automatic failure of the Vehicle Inspection test.
Manual section 11.1.2
What’s different in Virginia
Most of every state manual is the same federal material. These are the parts that are not.
The official Virginia CDL manual
Published free by Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
On their site, search for “CDL manual” to download the latest edition.