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How to become a truck driver in Washington
The Washington Department of Licensing issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you need a valid Washington driver license and must be 18 (21 for interstate driving), and you complete the required training before the skills test. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Washington earned a median $64,760 a year in May 2025 ($31.13 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Washington
The licensing authority is Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). 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 with a valid Washington driver license; self-certify the type of driving you will do and complete a DOT physical (the medical examiner uploads the certificate to the National Registry); pass the knowledge test ($35) for the vehicle you will drive. The CLP costs $40. | — | CDL knowledge test ($35) | $75 |
| 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 |
| CDL skills test | After completing the training requirements, schedule and pay for the skills test; DOL issues the CDL once it has proof of the training and the passed test. The skills test costs $175. | — | CDL skills test | $175 |
| Class A CDL endorsement ($20 plus $17 for each year left on the license) | Adding the CDL to your Washington license costs a $20 license fee plus $17 for each year left on the license, $37 to $156 in all. | — | — | $20 |
Renewal. Every six or eight years ($163 for six years or $217 for eight, including the CDL).
Licensing sources: WA DOL: Getting a commercial driver license (CDL) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · WA DOL: Driver licensing fees (retrieved 2026-09-23) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-23) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-23). Requirements change; confirm with Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) 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 Washington?
The Washington Department of Licensing issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: you need a valid Washington driver license and must be 18 (21 for interstate driving), and you complete the required training before the skills test.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Washington?
The published fees in the table above run from $20 to $175 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 Washington?
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 Washington?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Washington earned a median $64,760 a year in May 2025, $31.13 an hour. That median is 10% above the national figure of $58,640, and Washington ranks 2 of 51 by pay for this trade.
What truck drivers earn in Washington
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Washington earned a median $64,760 a year in May 2025, $31.13 an hour. 40,530 people held the job, 11.4 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 10% above the national figure of $58,640, and Washington ranks 2 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Washington
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.05 | $50,010 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.58 | $59,450 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $31.13 | $64,760 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $36.31 | $75,530 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $42.07 | $87,500 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $32.80 | $68,230 | 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 Washington
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA employs the most truck drivers of the 11 metro areas based in Washington that BLS publishes, 21,230, at a median $71,240 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 21,230 | $71,240 | $55,980 | $93,810 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 3,890 | $62,980 | $48,300 | $77,020 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 2,100 | $62,520 | $48,430 | $87,910 |
| Yakima, WA | 1,580 | $57,210 | $39,330 | $73,690 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 1,210 | $63,040 | $47,070 | $81,930 |
| Bellingham, WA | 1,200 | $61,890 | $48,420 | $78,180 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 770 | $62,930 | $49,500 | $84,920 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 670 | $62,240 | $49,400 | $83,310 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 530 | $58,070 | $47,150 | $80,900 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 430 | $62,710 | $50,980 | $77,950 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 270 | $60,300 | $47,060 | $72,490 |
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 Washington: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Lewiston, ID-WA.
Washington against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $70,100 | 3,420 |
| 2 | Washington | $64,760 | 40,530 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $64,170 | 830 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $63,570 | 47,980 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $63,030 | 30,890 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $64,760 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $31.13 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $50,010 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $87,500 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 40,530 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Washington
U.S. Department of Labor records list 23 registered apprentices active in Washington 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, 26 apprentices started; 26 have a starting wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs here. Of those who completed that year, 7 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Washington
Electricians ($95,220) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($81,030) · HVAC technicians ($75,660) · Welders ($63,020) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($133,060) · Elevator installers ($137,180) · Ironworkers ($107,660) · Sheet metal workers ($98,550) · Carpenters ($74,190) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($83,190) · Auto service technicians ($57,270) · Diesel mechanics ($77,900) · Heavy equipment operators ($81,700) · Machinists ($66,160)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Washington.
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.