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How to become a truck driver in Ohio
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you must be 18 (21 for interstate), hold a DOT medical certificate, and complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Ohio earned a median $59,800 a year in May 2025 ($28.75 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Ohio
The licensing authority is Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). 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) | Be at least 18 (under 21 restricted to within Ohio), purchase a CLP, self-certify the type of driving, and pass the CDL knowledge test in person. | — | CDL knowledge test | $31.50 |
| 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 the skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | Hold the CLP, provide proof of completing ELDT, and pass the CDL skills test (pre-trip inspection, basic maneuverability, road test) in a vehicle for the class. The $46.50 is the first CDL (4-year) issuance fee. At a state-owned testing facility a CDL Test Receipt is bought first at a deputy registrar license agency: $10 for the pre-trip inspection, $10 for the basic test and $30 for the road test; a third-party testing facility sets its own fees, which can vary. | — | CDL skills test | $96.50 |
Licensing sources: Ohio BMV CDL Classes (retrieved 2026-09-16) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-16) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · Ohio BMV: documents and fees (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) 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 Ohio?
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you must be 18 (21 for interstate), hold a DOT medical certificate, and complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Ohio?
The published fees in the table above run from $31.50 to $96.50 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 Ohio?
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 Ohio?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Ohio earned a median $59,800 a year in May 2025, $28.75 an hour. That median is 2% above the national figure of $58,640, and Ohio ranks 22 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in Ohio?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Ohio under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 220 apprentices started, at a median $16.66 an hour across the 220 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 39 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 Ohio
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Ohio earned a median $59,800 a year in May 2025, $28.75 an hour. 83,060 people held the job, 15.0 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 2% above the national figure of $58,640, and Ohio ranks 22 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Ohio
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.00 | $43,670 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.68 | $49,260 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $28.75 | $59,800 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $34.26 | $71,260 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $37.33 | $77,650 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $29.16 | $60,660 | 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 Ohio
Columbus, OH employs the most truck drivers of the 12 metro areas based in Ohio that BLS publishes, 16,110, at a median $61,720 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 16,110 | $61,720 | $46,510 | $90,080 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 13,820 | $60,590 | $45,920 | $81,620 |
| Cleveland, OH | 11,970 | $58,970 | $40,970 | $76,110 |
| Toledo, OH | 5,110 | $60,410 | $39,990 | $77,340 |
| Akron, OH | 4,740 | $60,210 | $39,680 | $77,350 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 4,660 | $59,490 | $41,670 | $75,400 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | 2,740 | $56,810 | $37,720 | $75,460 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 2,270 | $57,580 | $38,860 | $73,920 |
| Springfield, OH | 1,380 | $58,810 | $40,510 | $74,960 |
| Mansfield, OH | 750 | $57,280 | $44,380 | $73,130 |
| Lima, OH | 660 | $58,140 | $42,960 | $73,400 |
| Sandusky, OH | 520 | $58,610 | $45,350 | $75,810 |
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. Listed under another state but reaching into Ohio: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH and Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH.
Ohio against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | California | $60,230 | 205,090 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $60,190 | 3,620 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $59,820 | 4,070 |
| 22 | Ohio | $59,800 | 83,060 |
| 23 | Maryland | $59,360 | 29,150 |
| 24 | Kansas | $58,920 | 24,220 |
| 25 | Montana | $58,870 | 7,830 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $59,800 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $28.75 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $43,670 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $77,650 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 83,060 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Ohio
U.S. Department of Labor records list 150 registered apprentices active in Ohio 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, 220 apprentices started, at a median $16.66 an hour across the 220 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 39 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 Ohio
Electricians ($64,700) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($63,330) · HVAC technicians ($62,510) · Welders ($50,340) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($93,150) · Elevator installers ($105,020) · Ironworkers ($74,710) · Sheet metal workers ($74,790) · Carpenters ($60,810) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($70,950) · Auto service technicians ($48,710) · Diesel mechanics ($60,470) · Heavy equipment operators ($64,940) · Machinists ($57,940)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Ohio.
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.