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Florida CDL practice test

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

Free Florida CDL practice questions

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

  1. Which two things tell you when it is time to shift gears?

    • Fuel level and oil pressure
    • Air pressure and coolant temperature
    • Odometer reading and trip time
    • Engine speed (tachometer) and road speed (speedometer)
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Engine speed (tachometer) and road speed (speedometer)

    Learn the rpm range for each gear and shift up when the engine reaches the top of it. You can also learn which road speeds fit each gear and use the speedometer, or go by engine sound.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.3.1 (Knowing When to Shift Up)

  2. You should downshift to a lower gear:

    • Before starting down a hill and before entering a curve
    • Only after the vehicle has already started to speed up on a hill
    • In the middle of a curve to keep the engine working
    • Only when the engine starts to stall
    Show answer
    Answer: A. Before starting down a hill and before entering a curve

    Downshift before the hill so the engine helps hold your speed, and before a curve so you can speed up slightly through it. Shifting while in a curve or on the grade can leave you in neutral at the worst moment.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.3.2 (Special Conditions Where You Should Downshift)

  3. When should you turn a retarder off?

    • When driving on a long dry downgrade
    • When the vehicle is heavily loaded
    • When the road is wet, icy, or snow covered
    • Whenever you use the service brakes
    Show answer
    Answer: C. When the road is wet, icy, or snow covered

    A retarder slows the drive wheels without using the brakes. On slippery roads that extra braking force on the drive wheels can make them skid, so switch it off.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.3.3 (Retarders)

  4. On a downgrade in a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you should:

    • Leave it in Drive and use only the brakes
    • Shift to Neutral to save fuel
    • Turn the engine off and coast
    • Select a low range to get more engine braking
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Select a low range to get more engine braking

    A lower range keeps the transmission from shifting up beyond that gear, so the engine helps hold your speed and the brakes do not overheat.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.3.4 (Automatic Transmissions)

  5. At highway speed, looking 12 to 15 seconds ahead means looking about:

    • A quarter of a mile down the road
    • One block ahead
    • Half a mile ahead
    • Two miles ahead
    Show answer
    Answer: A. A quarter of a mile down the road

    Twelve to fifteen seconds ahead is about one block in city traffic and about a quarter mile at highway speed. Looking that far gives you time to react without hard braking or steering.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.4.1 (Seeing Ahead)

Every CDL test for Florida drivers

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

How the Florida 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 Florida 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.

Florida CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Florida CDL test?

The Florida 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 Florida 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 Florida?

At the Florida 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 Florida CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Florida 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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