How Many Questions Are on the Maryland CDL General Knowledge Test?
Maryland's CDL General Knowledge test has 50 questions — the federally standard length required nationwide, not a number the MVA sets on its own.
A federal standard, administered by the MVA
The 50-question General Knowledge test is required of every CDL applicant nationwide under 49 CFR Part 383, regardless of which state administers it.
Depending on the class and endorsements you're pursuing, additional tests — like Air Brakes or Combination Vehicles — may also apply on top of the General Knowledge test.
Maryland requires you to already hold a valid noncommercial Class C or higher driver's license before applying for a CLP.
Getting your CLP before the skills test
Passing the required written tests gets you a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP), which costs $90 in Maryland and includes the CDLIS record check and skills test fees.
The CLP is valid for 6 months, and federal rule requires holding it for at least 14 days before scheduling the skills test.
How our practice tests are structured
Our practice tests break results down by topic immediately, so a weak spot doesn't stay hidden inside an otherwise decent overall score.
Each question includes an explanation and a source reference, so you learn why an answer is correct instead of just memorizing a letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on Maryland's CDL General Knowledge test?
50 questions, the federally standard length used nationwide, not a Maryland-specific number.
What does the Maryland CLP cost?
$90 total, which includes the CDLIS record check and the CDL skills test fees.
How long is a Maryland CLP valid?
6 months.
Ready to put this into practice?
Start a free Maryland cdl practice testLast reviewed: 2026-07-21