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How to become a truck driver in Colorado
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: the learner's permit needs a valid Colorado driver license, an age of 18 (21 for a hazardous materials endorsement) and the CDL written test taken at a state driver license office, and is held 14 calendar days before the skills test; a first-time Class A or B applicant completes federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test, and a DOT medical card, which the medical provider submits to FMCSA's National Registry, must be on file before the CDL is issued. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Colorado earned a median $61,500 a year in May 2025 ($29.57 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Colorado
The licensing authority is Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue). The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | At least 18 (21 for a hazardous materials endorsement), a US citizen or permanent resident, with a valid Colorado driver license, a Social Security number and two proofs of Colorado residence; pass the CDL written knowledge test at a state driver license office. Instruction permit fee $20. The permit is valid one year and cannot be renewed; hold it 14 calendar days before the skills test. | — | CDL written knowledge test | $20 |
| Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT, federal) | Since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B CDL applicants (and Class B holders upgrading to Class A) must complete the training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before taking the skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | Complete Entry-Level Driver Training at an approved CDL driver training school, and after the 14-day permit hold pass the skills test at an approved third-party testing facility; then finalize the license at a driver license office, where the required items are the valid permit, proof of ELDT completion and the skills test completion form (verified in the system) and a completed Ten-Year Driving History form (Form DR 2172), and a DOT medical card must be on file (the medical provider submits it to FMCSA's National Registry). CDL fee $35; the license is valid 4 years. | — | CDL skills test (approved third-party testing facility) | $35 |
Renewal. Every four years, with a valid DOT medical card on file.
Licensing sources: Colorado DMV: Commercial Driver License general information (retrieved 2026-09-24) · Colorado DMV: state DMV fees (retrieved 2026-09-24) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-24) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue) before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver in Colorado?
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: the learner's permit needs a valid Colorado driver license, an age of 18 (21 for a hazardous materials endorsement) and the CDL written test taken at a state driver license office, and is held 14 calendar days before the skills test; a first-time Class A or B applicant completes federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test, and a DOT medical card, which the medical provider submits to FMCSA's National Registry, must be on file before the CDL is issued.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Colorado?
The published fees in the table above run from $20 to $35 depending on the tier. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become a truck driver in Colorado?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do truck drivers make in Colorado?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Colorado earned a median $61,500 a year in May 2025, $29.57 an hour. That median is 5% above the national figure of $58,640, and Colorado ranks 10 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in Colorado?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Colorado under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 102 apprentices started, at a median $10.70 an hour across the 102 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 17 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs. Wages are in that year's dollars.
What truck drivers earn in Colorado
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Colorado earned a median $61,500 a year in May 2025, $29.57 an hour. 25,350 people held the job, 8.8 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 5% above the national figure of $58,640, and Colorado ranks 10 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Colorado
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.60 | $47,010 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $25.72 | $53,490 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $29.57 | $61,500 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $33.76 | $70,220 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $38.74 | $80,570 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $30.60 | $63,650 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Colorado
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO employs the most truck drivers of the 7 metro areas based in Colorado that BLS publishes, 14,320, at a median $63,900 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 14,320 | $63,900 | $48,270 | $82,620 |
| Greeley, CO | 2,700 | $59,450 | $47,800 | $76,910 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 1,860 | $59,790 | $45,150 | $77,790 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 1,410 | $60,380 | $43,960 | $77,170 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 950 | $56,600 | $44,390 | $82,650 |
| Boulder, CO | 650 | $63,810 | $48,490 | $77,340 |
| Pueblo, CO | 440 | $55,070 | $39,800 | $70,820 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Colorado against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | New York | $62,050 | 63,700 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $61,990 | 38,770 |
| 9 | Oregon | $61,980 | 23,970 |
| 10 | Colorado | $61,500 | 25,350 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $60,910 | 11,870 |
| 12 | Vermont | $60,830 | 3,560 |
| 13 | Utah | $60,620 | 25,060 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $61,500 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $29.57 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $47,010 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $80,570 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 25,350 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Colorado
U.S. Department of Labor records list 63 registered apprentices active in Colorado in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 102 apprentices started, at a median $10.70 an hour across the 102 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 17 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Colorado
Electricians ($62,230) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($63,240) · HVAC technicians ($65,200) · Welders ($58,590) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($103,980) · Elevator installers ($123,360) · Ironworkers ($58,830) · Sheet metal workers ($57,880) · Carpenters ($62,830) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($65,260) · Auto service technicians ($61,280) · Diesel mechanics ($70,480) · Heavy equipment operators ($62,620) · Machinists ($60,200)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Colorado.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.