TN CDL third-party tester bonds.
$125 flat.

A Tennessee company that administers CDL skills tests must file a bond with the Department of Safety & Homeland Security to run its third-party testing program. The department currently sets it at $25,000, and ours is $125 flat — the price you see is the checkout price, no credit section.

✓

Required to run a CDL third-party skills-test program under T.C.A. § 55-50-415

✓

Currently set at $25,000 by the Department of Safety — $125 flat

✓

Multi-year terms available — set it up once, forget it for up to 3 years

A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantunderwriting process1–3 yrterms available

Trusted by industry leaders

How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

License bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details and an effective date. That's the application — no financials, no credit section, no follow-up scavenger hunt.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with the Department of Safety

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file to activate your third-party tester license. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

Tennessee lets approved companies administer the CDL skills test on the state’s behalf as a third-party testing program. Because a bad test puts an unqualified driver behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle, the Department of Safety & Homeland Security conditions the program on a bond.

The bond backs the cost of retesting drivers if the third-party company or one of its examiners is involved in fraudulent testing activity. It is a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the State of Tennessee (the obligee).

By statute the department sets the amount it deems sufficient for retesting — currently $25,000. Government-entity testers are exempt from the bond. If the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety; programs that test honestly treat the bond as a license formality.

T.C.A. § 55-50-415Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-50-415 authorizes third-party CDL skills-test programs and requires each non-governmental third-party company to maintain a bond in an amount the Department of Safety & Homeland Security determines is sufficient to pay for retesting drivers in the event of fraudulent testing activity. The department currently sets that amount at $25,000 — confirm the current figure on your application.

You need this bond if you're

✓

Applying to be a TN third-party CDL tester — a truck driving school or fleet, for example

✓

Renewing your third-party tester license and your current bond is expiring

✓

A CDL training company adding state-authorized skills testing

✓

A fleet operator testing your own drivers under a third-party program

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — the application collects no credit information, because this bond doesn't need any.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Tennessee CDL third-party tester bond?The premium is $125 flat — the price you see is the checkout price, the same for every tester and every term regardless of the $25,000 bond amount the Department of Safety currently requires.

Do I pay the $25,000?No. You pay $125. The $25,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

What does the bond cover?It backs the cost of retesting CDL applicants if the third-party company or an examiner is involved in fraudulent testing. If the surety pays, you repay the surety — it is not insurance for you.

Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit information. Most applications approve instantly; if a check ever runs, it's a soft pull that won't touch your score.

Are government testers exempt?Yes. Under T.C.A. § 55-50-415, a third-party skills-test company that is a government entity is not required to maintain the bond.

Related bonds

Other Tennessee bonds.

The Department of Safety is waiting on one document.

$125 flat, no credit review, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

Start application

Your price$125

Apply now →