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Arizona CDL practice test

Getting a commercial driver's licence in Arizona starts with the CDL knowledge tests. The content is federal: every state, Arizona included, writes its tests from the FMCSA CDL manual, so the general knowledge test has 50 questions, the endorsement tests have 20 to 30, and the passing score is 80% on each. The Arizona driver licensing agency administers the test; the rules behind it are published by the FMCSA. Try the free Arizona CDL practice questions below, then pick a full test.

Free Arizona CDL practice questions

Five questions from the general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles banks, the three tests most Arizona Class A applicants take first. Show the answer to read the explanation.

  1. What is "black ice"?

    • Dark asphalt that absorbs heat and never freezes
    • A thin layer of clear ice that makes the road look merely wet
    • Frozen slush pushed to the shoulder by plows
    • Ice that only forms on bridges at night
    Show answer
    Answer: B. A thin layer of clear ice that makes the road look merely wet

    Black ice is thin and clear, so the road looks wet rather than icy. Expect it when temperatures are near freezing, and watch for spray stopping from the tires of vehicles ahead, a sign the road has frozen.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.12 (Slippery Surfaces)

  2. "Controlled braking" means:

    • Applying the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels
    • Locking the wheels and holding the pedal down
    • Pressing the brake pedal fully, releasing when the wheels lock, and reapplying
    • Using the parking brake to slow down
    Show answer
    Answer: A. Applying the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels

    Controlled braking is firm pressure just short of a lockup, with only small steering corrections. Stab braking is the other emergency method: full pressure, release when the wheels lock, reapply as soon as they roll again.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.17 (Emergency Braking)

  3. The most common cause of serious skids is:

    • Worn tires
    • Driving too fast for conditions
    • Steering too sharply at low speed
    • Braking on a straight road
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Driving too fast for conditions

    Most skids come from speed the road cannot support: braking, turning or accelerating harder than the tires can grip. Slow down for curves, wet roads and intersections and the other causes rarely get a chance.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.18 (Skid Control and Recovery)

  4. When backing with a helper, the one signal you must both agree on is:

    • Turn left
    • Slow down
    • Stop
    • Go faster
    Show answer
    Answer: C. Stop

    Agree on all signals before you start, and above all agree on the signal for Stop. A missed stop signal is how helpers and property get hit. Back toward the driver's side whenever you can so you can see the helper.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.2 (Backing Safely)

  5. What is the minimum number of tie-downs for any flatbed cargo, no matter how short it is?

    • One
    • Two
    • Three
    • Four
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Two

    Cargo needs at least one tie-down for every 10 feet of length, and never fewer than two, however small the piece. Together the tie-downs must have a working load limit of at least half the weight of the cargo.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 3.3 (Securing Cargo)

Every CDL test for Arizona drivers

Each page has ten free sample questions, the real question count, the 80% pass mark and what the test covers.

How the Arizona CDL knowledge test works

You take the general knowledge test first; it is required for every CDL class. Class A drivers add the combination vehicles test. Almost everyone takes the air brakes test, because skipping it puts an air brake restriction on the licence. Endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger, school bus) each have their own knowledge test. Pass the tests and you hold a commercial learner's permit; the skills test in a truck comes later.

Fees, appointment rules and test centre locations are set by Arizona and change over time, so check the state driver licensing agency before you go. What does not change is the content, and that is what PassRig drills.

Arizona CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Arizona CDL test?

The Arizona CDL general knowledge test follows the federal model: 50 questions, 40 correct to pass. Endorsement tests are shorter: air brakes 25, hazmat 30, and combination vehicles, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger and school bus 20 each.

What is the passing score on the Arizona CDL permit test?

80% on every knowledge test, the same pass mark used across the United States.

Where do I take the CDL knowledge test in Arizona?

At the Arizona state driver licensing agency (the DMV, DOT or equivalent). Check its website for locations, appointments and current fees; the test content itself comes from the FMCSA CDL manual.

Does PassRig have Arizona CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Arizona in the app and you get practice sets and mock exams built from the knowledge test content your state uses, with the real counts and the 80% line.

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