West Virginia (WV) 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 West Virginia does its own way.
Practice the manual, chapter by chapter
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- 1
Introduction
Everyone
Serious traffic violations include driving a CMV without obtaining a CDL, without having a CDL in the driver's possession, and without the proper class of CDL and/or endorsements.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What penalty may a court impose for holding more than one license?
The court may fine you up to $5,000 or put you in jail, keep your home state license, and return the others.
Manual section 1.4
What is the minimum disqualification for a first violation of an out-of-service order?
Ignoring an out-of-service order costs at least 90 days on the first occasion, which is longer than two serious traffic violations combined.
Manual section 1.3.4
- 2
Driving Safely
Everyone
Drivers changing a tire or fixing an engine often do not pay attention to the danger that roadway traffic is to them; jacked up wheels or raised hoods are hazard clues.
This chapter has 290 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What is the minimum tread depth required in every major groove on a front (steering) tire?
Front tires carry the steering load and must have at least 4/32 inch of tread in every major groove. Other tires need at least 2/32 inch.
Manual section 2.2
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
- 3
Transporting Cargo Safely
Everyone
Overloading can have bad effects on steering, braking, and speed control.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What does Gross Vehicle Weight Rating describe?
GVWR is a rating set by the manufacturer, not a measurement. It states how much the single vehicle is designed to weigh when loaded.
Manual section 3.2.1
What can happen to brakes that are forced to work too hard by an overload?
Overloading lengthens stopping distance and works the brakes beyond what they were designed for, and brakes worked that hard can fail outright.
Manual section 3.2.2
- 4
Transporting Passengers
P endorsement (bus)
Front wheels of a bus must not have recapped or re-grooved tires.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.During your pre-trip inspection of a bus interior, which of these items must be in safe working condition before you drive?
Before driving, the interior must be checked so that handholds, railings, floor covering, signaling devices, and emergency exit handles all work safely. These items directly protect riders who are moving about or requesting stops.
Manual section 4.1
On buses designed to allow standing, how is the standee line marked?
A two-inch line on the floor, or some other equally clear means, shows riders how far forward they may stand.
Manual section 4.2.3
- 5
Air Brakes
Any vehicle with air brakes
On downgrades, use snub braking: firm applications to a point below the safe speed, then release and repeat.
This chapter has 148 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.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
How is supply pressure displayed on a vehicle with a dual air brake system?
Each half of a dual system has to be readable on its own, so the vehicle carries either two gauges or a single gauge with two needles.
Manual section 5.1.9
- 6
Combination Vehicles
Class A
Inspect the trailer supports: make sure the ground is supporting the trailer and the landing gear is not damaged.
This chapter has 118 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Your combination vehicle is equipped with ABS. How should you apply the brakes in a normal stop?
ABS only takes over when wheels are about to lock, so the driver should brake normally and let the system work in the background.
Manual section 6.3
Whenever you back with a trailer, how should you try to position the vehicle first?
A straight-line back is the one that needs the fewest corrections. When the path has to curve, it should curve toward the driver's side so you can see it.
Manual section 6.1.7
- 7
Doubles and Triples
T endorsement
To test trailer service brakes, check for normal pressure, release the parking brakes, move forward slowly, and apply the trailer brakes with the hand control.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Which air lines must continue past the converter dolly to reach the second trailer of a set of doubles?
Every trailer in the combination needs both a service line for normal braking and an emergency line for supply and emergency braking.
Manual section 7.2
Among common commercial combinations, which is generally the most likely to whip and roll its rearmost trailer during a sudden maneuver?
The more trailers and hitch points a combination has, the more each steering input is amplified, and triples have the most of both.
Manual section 7.1
- 8
Tank Vehicles
N endorsement
Grounding or bonding cables prevent static electricity discharges that could ignite flammable vapors during loading and unloading.
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
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
Division 1.1 is Mass Explosion, with dynamite as an example.
This chapter has 234 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Within what period must carriers make detailed written reports of a hazardous materials incident?
The phone call to the National Response Center is immediate; the carrier's detailed written report follows within 30 days.
Manual section 9.7.5
What does the manual require for materials subject to spontaneous combustion or heating?
Ventilation carries away the heat and vapor these materials generate. Without it the cargo space becomes the very environment that starts the fire.
Manual section 9.4.1
- 10
School Buses
S endorsement
When possible, assign two responsible, older student assistants to each emergency exit and teach them how to assist the other students off the bus.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Where are the outside convex mirrors mounted relative to the flat mirrors?
The convex mirrors sit below the flat mirrors on each side, giving a wide-angle view along the sides of the bus.
Manual section 10.1.4
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
- 11
Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection
Everyone (skills test)
If electric brakes, inspect that electric lines are secure, and casing is not worn or cracked.
This chapter has 200 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.At what speed is the service brake check performed?
You pull forward at about 5 mph and apply the foot brake to a complete stop, watching for any pull to one side.
Manual section 11.1.1
What color must the reflectors mounted on the rear of a trailer be during your inspection?
Reflectors on the rear of the vehicle must be red; amber reflectors belong on the front and sides toward the front.
Manual section 11.2.7
What’s different in West Virginia
Most of every state manual is the same federal material. These are the parts that are not.
- Skills test: the older (2005) skills test.
- Low air warning in the pre-trip inspection (skills test): before pressure drops below 55 psi.
- Farmers who wish to be exempted from CDL requirements must apply to the DMV for a certificate of exemption, an Application for Farm Vehicle/Driver Exemption (DMV-CDL-8); this form must be certified by a representative of your local county tax office.
- No such equipment may be operated on a public road for a distance exceeding five hundred feet from the place where such equipment entered upon the public road.
The official West Virginia CDL manual
WV Commercial Driver's License Manual with AAMVA Booklet
Published by West Virginia DMV · Revised August 2023