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Indiana CDL practice test

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

Free Indiana CDL practice questions

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

  1. You are driving a 60-foot combination vehicle at 55 mph. How much following distance should you keep?

    • 4 seconds
    • 6 seconds
    • 7 seconds
    • 10 seconds
    Show answer
    Answer: C. 7 seconds

    Below 40 mph you need one second per 10 feet of vehicle length, so 60 feet means 6 seconds. Above 40 mph add one more second, which gives 7 seconds.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.7.1 (Space Ahead)

  2. If a car is tailgating you, you should:

    • Brake hard to teach the driver a lesson
    • Speed up to get away
    • Flash your brake lights until the driver backs off
    • Increase your following distance and avoid quick changes in speed or direction
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Increase your following distance and avoid quick changes in speed or direction

    Opening up space in front gives you room to slow gradually, so the tailgater is less likely to run into you. Do not speed up, since tailgaters often follow no matter how fast you go, and avoid tricks like sudden braking.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.7.2 (Space Behind)

  3. Why can a posted clearance height be wrong?

    • Repaving or packed snow may have reduced the clearance since the sign was put up
    • Signs always round the number up
    • Clearance signs only apply to cars
    • Height limits change with the time of day
    Show answer
    Answer: A. Repaving or packed snow may have reduced the clearance since the sign was put up

    Never assume a posted height is still correct. New pavement layers and packed snow raise the road surface, and the weight of your cargo can change your vehicle's height too.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.7.3 (Space Overhead)

  4. A vehicle with low ground clearance can get hung up on:

    • Freshly paved highways
    • Raised railroad crossings and dirt roads
    • Steep uphill grades
    • Flat concrete parking lots
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Raised railroad crossings and dirt roads

    Many drivers forget the space under the vehicle. A loaded vehicle sits lower, and raised crossings or rutted dirt roads can catch the frame or trailer underside and leave you stuck.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.7.4 (Space Below)

  5. When making a right turn in a large vehicle, you should:

    • Swing wide to the left before you start the turn
    • Stay in the left lane and turn from there
    • Keep the rear of the vehicle close to the curb and turn wide as you complete the turn
    • Cut the corner tightly so you finish faster
    Show answer
    Answer: C. Keep the rear of the vehicle close to the curb and turn wide as you complete the turn

    Swinging wide before the turn lets a car slip into the gap on your right and get crushed. Instead, turn wide as you finish so the trailer does not ride up the curb, and if you must cross the center line, let oncoming traffic pass first.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.7.5 (Space for Turns: Right Turns)

Every CDL test for Indiana drivers

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

How the Indiana 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 Indiana 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.

Indiana CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Indiana CDL test?

The Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana?

At the Indiana 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 Indiana CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Indiana 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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