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  • Updated for January 2025
  • Based on 2025 SD commercial driver's license manual

Free South Dakota CDL Permit Practice Test: General Knowledge 2025

Welcome to our free South Dakota CDL permit practice test! Taking this practice test should help you pass the official CDL General Knowledge test. Have you started reading the official South Dakota Commercial Driver’s License Study Guide (South Dakota CDL Handbook 2025)? By taking this practice test, you’ll help absorb the relevant material from the official study guide and get used to being tested on it. The practice test is based on the official state CDL Study Guide, just like the official knowledge test. It’s up to date as of January, 2025 and has 50 multiple-choice questions. The questions on this practice test will assess your understanding of such topics as basic vehicle maneuvers, cargo management, emergency preparedness, and pre-trip inspections. Unlike the official knowledge test, however, this practice test is designed to help you learn. Each question comes with a hint and an explanation of the correct answer, and there’s an automated assistant for even more help.

By passing the official knowledge test, submitting to a medical examination, and meeting some other requirements, you’ll be eligible to obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). This credential will allow you to practice commercial driving under the supervision of someone who already holds a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

By practicing commercial driving, you’ll become sufficiently good at it to pass the official skills test, a necessary step for you to obtain a CDL. The skills test will evaluate your performance in basic vehicle maneuvers, a pre-trip inspection, and a road test.

There are three classes of CDLs: Class A is typically for large combination vehicles, such as semi-trucks and tractor-trailers. Class B is typically for larger single-unit vehicles, such as full-size buses and straight trucks, including box trucks and most dump trucks. Class C is typically for smaller commercial vehicles that transport hazardous materials or at least 16 occupants (including the driver), such as shuttle buses and small trucks carrying hazardous materials. Decide which class you want, based on the types of vehicles you expect to be driving commercially in your career.

Once you obtain a CDL and all the endorsements you need, you can start working as a commercial driver. The largest economic sectors in South Dakota are agriculture, the service industry (including retail, finance, and health care), government spending (primarily for defense), and tourism. The agriculture sector employs truck drivers to transport crops and livestock to various distribution hubs, perhaps even out of the country eventually. The state is home to several famous tourist attractions, including the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, creating a demand for bus drivers to transport tourists to these and other locations around the state.

Commercial Driver's License
  • Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
  • Triple-checked for accuracy

What you need to know

Available in EN and ES
Verified by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S., Chief Educational Researcher, Member of ACES. See our detailed commitment to accuracy and quality in our practice tests.
Ensuring the accuracy and quality of our program is paramount. Learn more about our rigorous standards in our Commitment to Accuracy article.

What to expect on the actual SD DMV exam

50

questions

40

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

List of questions (classic view)

  1. To transport cargo to or from his or her farm, a farmer does NOT need a CDL to drive a farm vehicle within ______ air miles of the farm.
  2. To help you stay alert and safe while driving, you should
  3. You don't want to be a distracted driver, so you
  4. Letting the air out of hot tires
  5. To maintain alertness on your trips, you should
  6. How often must you stop to check your cargo while on the road?
  7. On wet roads, you should reduce your speed by
  8. Hazardous materials placards are
  9. Total stopping distance equals
  10. What can you do at an accident scene to help avoid another accident?
  11. What is the best way to figure out how many seconds of following distance you have?
  12. Always try to back toward the driver's side because
  13. Which of these is NOT part of the basic method for shifting up?
  14. You should put the starter switch key into your pocket while you perform the pre-trip inspection because
  15. Which of the following is a key steering component?
  16. Do empty trucks have the best braking?
  17. If the engine is not overheated, is it completely safe to remove the radiator cap?
  18. What is the gross vehicle weight (GVW)?
  19. Which of the following should you NOT do if you experience a tire failure?
  20. What will help a drunk sober up?
  21. If you are traveling at 55 mph in a 30-foot vehicle, you should leave how many seconds of following distance?
  22. In which of the following two situations should you downshift?
  23. How many tie-downs are required for a 20-foot load?
  24. If you double your speed, how much more distance will it take to brake to a stop?
  25. If you are confronted by an aggressive driver, what should you do?
  26. Which of the following is NOT something you should check during a trip?
  27. When you start to drive down a steep downgrade, which of the following should influence your choice of speed?
  28. Why is it important to use a helper when backing?
  29. What is a common cause of tire fires?
  30. For how long will you lose your CDL driving privileges if you are convicted of a second DUI offense in either a CMV or your private vehicle?
  31. It has just reached freezing. Which of the following areas may be slippery?
  32. Which of the following statements about retarders are correct?
  33. How long does it take a typical tractor-trailer to clear a double railroad track?
  34. While driving at night, which lights should you use as often as you can?
  35. To transport cargo safely, which of the following are you NOT responsible for?
  36. You should inspect wheel bearing seals for
  37. What is the definition of a hazard?
  38. On which of the following types of fires should you NOT use a B:C fire extinguisher?
  39. Why should you cover your cargo?
  40. During your pre-trip test, when examining hoses with the instructor, you need to look for
  41. The most important hand signal that you and a helper should agree on is
  42. Before transporting a sealed load, you must check
  43. The minimum tire tread depth for front tires is
  44. An antilock braking system (ABS) will
  45. How can you determine if your vehicle is equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS)?
  46. What might happen if you swing wide to the left before you turn right?
  47. Where should you place your warning devices if you must stop on a one-way road or divided highway?
  48. Which is NOT one of the four basic skills that operating a commercial motor vehicle requires?
  49. How can you start moving without rolling backward?
  50. Starting the engine and inspecting the cab involves each of the following tasks EXCEPT
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