South Dakota CDL practice test

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

50general knowledge questions
80%passing score on every test
8knowledge tests covered
SDpick your state once in the app

Free South Dakota CDL practice quiz

Five questions from the general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles banks, the three tests most South Dakota Class A applicants take first. Tap an answer to see if you were right and read the explanation.

0 of 5 right0 of 5 answered

Allowing for brake lag, the total stopping distance for an air-brake vehicle at 55 mph on dry pavement with good brakes is:
Brake lag in an air system (the delay between pressing the pedal and the brakes working) is about:
If the low air pressure warning comes on while you are driving, you should:
Your brakes are very hot after a long downgrade and you need to park. Instead of setting the parking brake, you should:
Why is repeatedly pressing and releasing (fanning) the brake pedal a problem in an air-brake vehicle?

Every CDL test for South Dakota drivers

Each page has a free ten-question quiz, the real question count, the 80% pass mark and what the test covers.

How the South Dakota 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 South Dakota; the current ones from South Dakota DPS are in the next section. What does not change is the content, and that is what PassRig drills.

South Dakota CDL fees and rules

In South Dakota the CDL is issued by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. The figures below are taken from its own pages and were last checked on 2 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the agency before you go.

Study from the state's own book: South Dakota Commercial Driver License Manual. PassRig's questions are written from the same FMCSA manual it is based on.

What	SD	Source
Learner's permit fee	$43.00	sd.gov
CDL fee	$43.00	sd.gov
Knowledge test fee	$43 application fee plus $20 for each endorsement test	sd.gov
Retest fee	None for three attempts per fee paid within six months	sd.gov
Permit valid for	One year	sdtruckinfo.sd.gov
Minimum age	21 for interstate; 18 to 20 for intrastate only	sdtruckinfo.sd.gov
Appointment	Schedule an appointment or walk in at an open state driver exam station	sd.gov
If you fail	Next working day	sd.gov
Attempts allowed	Three attempts for each fee paid within a six-month period	sd.gov
Test languages	No interpreter is allowed for the CDL knowledge tests	sd.gov
Medical certificate	All CDL drivers must complete a medical self-certification statement under 49 CFR Part 391	sd.gov
Entry-level driver training	Required since 7 February 2022 for a first Class A or Class B CDL	sd.gov
Also worth knowing	Skills tests are given by third-party testers, who charge $150 plus tax	sd.gov

6 official pages from South Dakota DPS were read for this section. Nothing on it is estimated.

South Dakota CDL test questions

How many questions are on the South Dakota CDL test?

The South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota?

South Dakota Department of Public Safety gives the test. Schedule an appointment or walk in at an open state driver exam station The test content itself comes from the FMCSA CDL manual.

How much does a CDL permit cost in South Dakota?

South Dakota DPS lists the commercial learner's permit fee as $43.00. If you fail a knowledge test: Next working day

Does PassRig have South Dakota CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick South Dakota 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.