How a fleet gets its drivers through ELDT theory
The employer has three jobs
- Pick registered providers. Look up the theory provider, and the behind-the-wheel provider if it is someone else, at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. Our checklist on how to check an ELDT provider takes ten minutes.
- Enroll and pay. Get each driver a seat in the course, by card, seat code or invoice.
- Line up the rest. Behind-the-wheel training, the permit, and the state tests. The state will not give the skills test until it sees the training in the registry.
Who files what
Each provider files its own part. The theory provider submits the theory completion, and the behind-the-wheel provider submits the behind-the-wheel completion. Both must be on the registry. The deadline is midnight of the second business day after the driver finishes.
If a provider files late, the driver is not penalized, but the driver cannot test until the record is there. That is why same-day filing matters to a fleet with a test date on the calendar.
The timing rules
- There is no required order for theory and behind-the-wheel training.
- Theory does not have to be finished before the commercial learner's permit (CLP).
- Behind-the-wheel training must be done before the CDL skills test. HAZMAT theory must be done before the HAZMAT knowledge test.
- For Class A, Class B, Passenger and School Bus, the theory and behind-the-wheel portions must be completed within one year of each other.
The 80 percent assessment
Theory has no minimum number of hours. It ends with an assessment, and the driver needs at least 80 percent overall. Plan for drivers who study on their own time, on a phone, and for some who need a second pass on the questions they missed.
What records to keep
The official record is the one in the registry, and federal rules put the recordkeeping duty on the training provider, which must keep its ELDT records for three years. A driver can look up their own record at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Check. Many fleets also keep a copy of each completion certificate in the driver's training file so they can answer questions without waiting on anyone. See how to check an ELDT record.
Doing it with ELDT365
Create a fleet account, add drivers by name and email or hand out seat codes, and watch progress, scores and filing status in one dashboard. Drivers finish on their phone in English or Spanish, and we file each completion the same day they pass. Theory is $20 per course. Start at our fleets page, or get an invoice if you pay by purchase order.
Questions drivers ask
Can we teach theory to our own drivers?
Yes, if your company registers as a training provider and meets the federal rules for curriculum, instructors, assessments and records. If you would rather not, buy theory from a registered provider and keep doing behind-the-wheel yourself.
Do we need the driver's license number to enroll them?
Not with ELDT365. You enroll with a name and email. The driver enters their license number and state at the end, exactly as printed on the license, so the record matches at the DMV.
What if a driver's record has a typo?
The driver or the fleet should contact the provider that filed it. Providers can edit records they submitted. Drivers cannot change the registry themselves.
Does ELDT ever expire?
No. Once a driver completes ELDT for a CDL class or endorsement, it stays valid. They do not retake it later.
Practice free before the DMV: practice test · all courses