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Utah CDL practice test

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

Free Utah CDL practice questions

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

  1. After coupling, how should the fifth wheel look when you inspect it with a flashlight?

    • A small gap between the upper and lower fifth wheel is normal
    • No space between the upper and lower fifth wheel, and the locking jaws closed around the shank of the kingpin
    • The jaws closed around the head of the kingpin
    • The release handle pulled out
    Show answer
    Answer: B. No space between the upper and lower fifth wheel, and the locking jaws closed around the shank of the kingpin

    Any gap means the trailer is riding high and not locked. The jaws must grip the shank, the narrow part of the kingpin, not the head. Also check that the locking lever is in the lock position and the safety latch is over it.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 6.4.1 (Coupling Tractor-Semitrailers: Inspect the Coupling)

  2. Before backing the tractor under the trailer, the trailer should be:

    • Higher than the fifth wheel so it drops onto it
    • Low enough that the tractor raises it slightly as it backs under
    • Resting completely on the landing gear with the brakes off
    • Level with the fifth wheel exactly
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Low enough that the tractor raises it slightly as it backs under

    If the trailer sits too low, the tractor can strike and damage the trailer nose; too high and the kingpin may not enter the jaws. Set it so the fifth wheel lifts the trailer a little as you back under.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 6.4.1 (Coupling: Check Trailer Height)

  3. After coupling, how do you test that the tractor and trailer are locked together?

    • Drive at highway speed and listen for noise
    • Pull the tractor gently forward with the trailer brakes locked (a tug test)
    • Shake the trailer by hand
    • Apply the trailer hand valve while stopped
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Pull the tractor gently forward with the trailer brakes locked (a tug test)

    Lock the trailer brakes, put the tractor in low gear and pull forward gently. If the trailer stays with the tractor, the kingpin is locked. Do this before you raise the landing gear fully.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 6.4.1 (Coupling: Test the Coupling)

  4. When uncoupling a loaded trailer, after lowering the landing gear to the ground you should:

    • Stop cranking immediately
    • Turn the crank a few extra turns to lift some weight off the tractor
    • Raise it again by half
    • Leave the landing gear up and rely on the fifth wheel
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Turn the crank a few extra turns to lift some weight off the tractor

    With the landing gear firmly on the ground, a few more turns take weight off the tractor, which makes unlocking the fifth wheel easier and keeps the trailer from dropping when the tractor pulls out. Do not lift the trailer off the fifth wheel.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 6.4.2 (Uncoupling Tractor-Semitrailers)

  5. Trailers built on or after March 1, 1998 must have:

    • Spring brakes on every axle
    • Antilock brakes (ABS)
    • A trailer hand valve
    • Dual air lines only
    Show answer
    Answer: B. Antilock brakes (ABS)

    ABS is required on trailers made since March 1, 1998. A yellow malfunction lamp on the left side of the trailer shows whether the trailer ABS is working. Tractors have needed ABS since March 1, 1997.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 6.3 (Antilock Brake Systems)

Every CDL test for Utah drivers

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

How the Utah 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 Utah 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.

Utah CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Utah CDL test?

The Utah 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 Utah 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 Utah?

At the Utah 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 Utah CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Utah 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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