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Delaware CDL practice test

Getting a commercial driver's licence in Delaware starts with the CDL knowledge tests. The content is federal: every state, Delaware 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 Delaware driver licensing agency administers the test; the rules behind it are published by the FMCSA. Try the free Delaware CDL practice questions below, then pick a full test.

Free Delaware CDL practice questions

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

  1. After you start the engine, the oil pressure gauge should:

    • Stay at zero for the first minute
    • Slowly rise over about 10 minutes
    • Come up to the normal range within seconds
    • Read high until the engine warms up, then drop to zero
    Show answer
    Answer: C. Come up to the normal range within seconds

    Oil pressure that does not build within seconds means the engine is not being lubricated. Shut it off and find out why rather than let it run.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.5 (Start Engine and Inspect Inside the Cab)

  2. Before you get out to check the lights during the pre-trip inspection, you should turn on:

    • The high beams and the dome light
    • The parking lights only
    • The fog lights and the horn
    • The low-beam headlights and the four-way emergency flashers
    Show answer
    Answer: D. The low-beam headlights and the four-way emergency flashers

    Turning on low beams and the four-way flashers lets you confirm them from outside. Then switch to high beams and check those too, and have the turn signals and brake lights checked as you go around the vehicle.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.5 (Turn Off Engine and Check Lights)

  3. What is the right way to check whether a tire is properly inflated?

    • Use a tire pressure gauge
    • Kick the tire and feel how firm it is
    • Look at how much the tire bulges at the bottom
    • Hit the tire with a mallet and listen
    Show answer
    Answer: A. Use a tire pressure gauge

    Only a gauge tells you the actual pressure. A heavy truck tire that is badly under-inflated can still look and sound almost normal, yet it builds heat and can fail.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.5 (Walk-around Inspection: Tires)

  4. How do you test the parking brake during the pre-trip inspection?

    • Drive at 20 mph and pull the parking brake
    • Release the parking brake on a hill and see if the vehicle rolls
    • Set the parking brake, put the vehicle in a low gear, and gently try to move forward against it
    • Press the service brake and parking brake at the same time
    Show answer
    Answer: C. Set the parking brake, put the vehicle in a low gear, and gently try to move forward against it

    Fasten your seat belt, set the parking brake, and gently pull forward in low gear. If the vehicle moves, the parking brake is not holding and must be fixed before you drive.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.5 (Start the Engine and Check Brakes)

  5. To check hydraulic brakes, you pump the pedal three times and then hold firm pressure for five seconds. What should happen?

    • The pedal should slowly sink to the floor
    • The pedal should pulse up and down
    • A warning buzzer should sound
    • The pedal should not move during the five seconds
    Show answer
    Answer: D. The pedal should not move during the five seconds

    A pedal that sinks while you hold it means fluid is leaking somewhere in the system. Any movement is a problem that must be fixed before you drive.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.2 (Hydraulic Brakes)

Every CDL test for Delaware drivers

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

How the Delaware 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 Delaware 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.

Delaware CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Delaware CDL test?

The Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware?

At the Delaware 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 Delaware CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Delaware 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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