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CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee)

First published: September 3, 2026Last verified: September 3, 2026Reviewed by the CertQuestUSA team
TL;DR

CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee): a 124-question practice bank for the real CDL Permit & Endorsement Exams standard, 2 full papers of 50 questions each with no repeats, every question citing the real regulation it comes from.

Where these questions come from

Every question in this bank cites a real source -- primarily FMCSA CDL Manual (77%) and 49 CFR (23%) of this exam's citations.

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2
full papers, no repeats
50
questions per paper
124
questions in the bank
What this exam covers
Real Tennessee CDL requirements

The knowledge tested here is federal (FMCSA) and identical nationwide -- what varies by state is who administers it and under what terms. Researched directly from Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services Division's own site, verified 2026-09-03.

Administering agency
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services Division
CLP (permit) fee
Class A learner permit: $8.00/year x1 year + $6.00 application = $14.00 total; Class B or C learner permit: $7.00/year x1 year + $6.00 application = $13.00 total (per tn.gov/safety/driver-services/helpful-information/fees.html; County Clerks add a further $4.00 administrative fee)
CDL license fee
Class A: $8.00/year x8 years = $64.00 + $6.00 application = $70.00 total; Class B or C: $7.00/year x8 years = $56.00 + $6.00 application = $62.00 total (state fee only, before county clerk's additional $4.00 administrative fee)
Road/skills test fee
Not separately itemized on the state fee page; page notes "Third party testing organizations may charge additional fees for the skills test"
CLP validity
1 year (learner permit fee schedule is based on a 1-year term)
Spanish-language knowledge test
Unconfirmed

Confirmed the Class D (regular) driver license written knowledge test is offered in Spanish and 12 other languages (tn.gov/safety/driver-services/classd/teengdl/knowledge-test-online.html lists Arabic, Dari, French, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tongan, Ukrainian, Vietnamese). Could NOT confirm from a Tennessee Department of Safety primary source whether the CDL knowledge test specifically (as opposed to the regular Class D test) is offered in Spanish -- the CDL-specific pages checked did not state a language policy either way. No notice of a 2025/2026 change to CDL test language policy was found. This needs direct confirmation from TN Driver Services before publishing a Spanish-availability claim for the CDL test.

5 real sample questions
What is the most important reason for performing a pre-trip inspection before every trip?
A. To satisfy your dispatcher that the truck left on time
B. To find problems that could cause a crash or breakdown before they happen on the road
C. To reduce the number of miles logged for the day
D. To avoid having to fill out any paperwork later
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual §2.1.1
Under the 30-minute break requirement in 49 CFR 395.3, a driver must take a break after accumulating how many cumulative hours of driving time?
A. 4 hours
B. 6 hours
C. 8 hours
D. 10 hours
Source: 49 CFR 395.3
A roadside inspector determines that a commercial motor vehicle has a safety defect serious enough to be an immediate hazard. What is the inspector authorized to do under 49 CFR 396.9?
A. Issue a warning only, since only the motor carrier can pull a vehicle from service
B. Declare the vehicle "out of service" until the defect is corrected
C. Impound the vehicle permanently
D. Fine the driver but allow the vehicle to continue to the next scheduled stop
Source: 49 CFR 396.9
Under the federal tire tread depth standard, what is the minimum tread depth allowed in any major tread groove on a steering axle tire?
A. 1/32 inch
B. 2/32 inch
C. 4/32 inch
D. 6/32 inch
Source: 49 CFR 393.75
What is the minimum tread depth required on non-steering axle tires of a commercial motor vehicle?
A. 1/32 inch
B. 2/32 inch
C. 3/32 inch
D. 4/32 inch
Source: 49 CFR 393.75
Same exam, other states
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Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the CertQuestUSA CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee) practice test?
124 questions total, split into 2 full papers of 50 each with no repeats across papers.
What topics does the CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee) test cover?
13 domains, with the heaviest weight on Vehicle Inspection (14%), Basic Control & Shifting (10%), and Emergency Maneuvers & Skid Control (10%).
Where do CertQuestUSA's CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee) questions come from?
Primarily FMCSA CDL Manual (77%) and 49 CFR (23%) of this bank's citations -- computed directly from this exam's own question sources, not a generic description.
Is there a free diagnostic for CDL General Knowledge (Tennessee)?
Yes -- 10 real questions across the exam's domains, no sign-up required, with a domain-by-domain breakdown at the end.
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