Texas · CDL practice
Texas CDL Commercial Rules Test (Section 14)
Texas Commercial Rules is the first CDL knowledge test you take at Texas DPS, before General Knowledge. It is based on Section 14 of the Texas commercial driver handbook, Special Requirements for Texas Commercial Motor Vehicles. The handbook itself tells drivers to pay close attention to this section.
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What Section 14 covers
Papers and permits you must carry. Required equipment, such as lights, reflectors, warning devices, fire extinguishers, brakes and mud flaps. Size limits and their exceptions. Texas operating rules, including railroad crossings. Safety practices such as backing and passing. Vehicle registration. Federal regulations and sharing the road with cars.
Examples of facts you need
Section 14 says no vehicle and load may be more than 14 feet high, and vehicles and loads may not be more than 102 inches wide, with listed exceptions. It also tells truck drivers to keep a four-second following distance on the open road. Facts like these are easy to mix up, so practice until they stick.
How the test is scored
Like every Texas CDL knowledge test, you need 80% or higher to pass, and it is given in English only since June 1, 2026. The handbook ends Section 14 with review questions and says they may be on your test.
How to study it
Read Section 14 once all the way through. Then practice by topic: equipment, size limits, operating rules. Go back to the handbook for every question you miss. Take this test seriously: it is the first one, and you cannot move on to General Knowledge until you pass it.
Original sample practice questions
Study examples from the learner-approved practice bank. These are not live exam questions. Open each answer to see the explanation and source reference.
1. During a walk-around of a combination vehicle, a driver finds a side reflector on the trailer that is clean but cracked. What is the appropriate inspection finding?
- The reflector only matters on the rear of the trailer
- It is acceptable because it is clean
- The reflector needs attention because it should not be cracked
- It is acceptable unless the trailer lights are also damaged
Show answer and explanation
Answer C. Side reflectors on the vehicle and, for combinations, the trailer should be the proper color, clean, and neither broken nor missing.
Source: DL-7C (revised March 2026), Section 11 — modernized vehicle inspection, PDF pp. 154–158
2. At a Texas DPS office, an applicant has passed General Knowledge but has not yet taken Texas Commercial Rules. What is wrong with the test sequence shown on the DPS CDL application page?
- Endorsements must be first
- Commercial Rules must be taken before General Knowledge
- General Knowledge must always be last
- Air Brakes must always precede Commercial Rules
Show answer and explanation
Answer B. The DPS order lists Texas Commercial Rules first, then General Knowledge, followed by applicable vehicle and endorsement exams.
Source: Texas DPS CDL application guidance; Applying for a Commercial Learner's Permit — knowledge exam order; checked October 26, 2026
3. A Texas commercial truck operator is asked what the registration papers carried on the vehicle must show under the handbook's Texas-specific requirements. Which detail belongs on those papers?
- The driver's most recent fuel purchase
- The vehicle's empty weight and how much it is registered to haul
- The cargo broker's address
- The next inspection appointment
Show answer and explanation
Answer B. Section 14.1 says commercial vehicles carry registration papers on public highways showing empty weight and registered haul capacity.
Source: Texas DL-7C, revised March 2026; Section 14.1 Special Requirements (Papers, Permits), PDF p. 189
4. A Texas carrier needs to move equipment wider than the legal limit and it cannot reasonably be dismantled. Which agency does the Texas handbook identify for the necessary special permit?
- A local cargo terminal only
- The carrier's insurer
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
- The driver's training school
Show answer and explanation
Answer C. Section 14.1 says a special permit for an oversize or overweight movement comes from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, subject to conditions.
Source: Texas DL-7C, revised March 2026; Section 14.1 Special Requirements (Papers, Permits), PDF p. 189
5. Under Texas DL-7C Section 14.5, which action is unlawful while a commercial motor vehicle descends a grade?
- Select a lower gear before starting down the hill
- Allow enough following distance for another vehicle to pass
- Use a safe speed based on road conditions
- Coast with the clutch disengaged while the transmission remains in gear
Show answer and explanation
Answer D. Section 14.5 makes it unlawful for a commercial motor vehicle to coast down a grade with the clutch disengaged while the transmission remains in gear. If a lower gear is needed, select it before starting down the hill.
Source: Texas DL-7C, revised March 2026; Section 14.5 Special Requirements Operating Rules, PDF p. 201
Frequently asked questions
What is the Texas Commercial Rules test?
The first Texas CDL knowledge test, based on Section 14 of the Texas commercial driver handbook.
Do I need it for every class?
Yes. DPS lists it first for all CDL applicants, before General Knowledge.
What score do I need?
80% or higher.
Official sources
Source information reviewed November 11, 2026. Policies can change; confirm requirements with the licensing agency before booking.