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CDL schools in North Carolina
74 schools in North Carolina are on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry for Class A training and take students from the public. Programs that post prices to North Carolina's approved training list charge a median $2,993, with the middle 80% between $1,594 and $4,200 (54 programs).
Heavy truck drivers in North Carolina earn a median $51,530 a year, and 62,400 hold those jobs. A commercial learner permit costs $26 and the Class A license $26 (North Carolina DMV pages, checked Oct 5, 2026).
Registry file Oct 5, 2026 · BLS wages May 2025 · North Carolina training list (TrainingProviderResults.gov)
Class A schools open to the public in North Carolina; 70 teach theory, range and road.
Typical first-time cost: median posted tuition plus the North Carolina permit ($26) and CDL ($26). Medical exam extra.
North Carolina training locations FMCSA has removed from the registry, 186 of them involuntarily.
Median pay for heavy truck drivers in North Carolina; 62,400 work there.
Find a North Carolina school near you
Type a ZIP code to see the nearest registered Class A schools. The full lists are below.
Where 74 schools are
58 cities in North Carolina have a page with their schools, prices and removed providers. Biggest first.
| City | Class A schools | All registered schools |
|---|---|---|
| Greensboro | 5 | 5 |
| Charlotte | 1 | 1 |
Smaller towns, with their schools
Raleigh
Carolina Trucking Academy LLC, Charlie’s CDL School LLC, Miller-Motte College Raleigh
Dunn
On Point Trucking Academy, Roadmaster Drivers School (DUN)
Fayetteville
Ftcc, Miller-Motte College Fayetteville
Jacksonville
Coastal Carolina Community College, Miller-Motte College Jacksonville
New Bern
Craven Community College, R L Thompson Company Inc
Rocky Mount
Nash Community College, Sage Truck Driving Schools
Statesville
2nd Opportunity Trucking School, Mitchell Community College
High Point
Guilford Technical Community College, Kinos CDL Academy Corp
Ahoskie
Roanoke Chowan CC
Albemarle
Stanly Community College
Archdale
Next Mile Driver Training
Asheboro
Randolph Community College
Aulander
Jackie's Daughters Driver Training Academy LLC
Burlington
Best Driving Academy
Candler
Carolina CDL Training Center
Castle Hayne
CFCC North Campus
Clayton
160 Driving Academy - Raleigh
Clinton
Sampson Community College
Clyde
Haywood Community College
Concord
Rowan Cabarrus Community College
Dublin
Bladen Community College
Durham
SAGE Truck Driving Schools - Durham, NC
Eden
Elite Driving School
Edenton
College of the Albemarle
Fair Bluff
Southeastern community College
Fort Liberty
Troops into Transportation - Ft Bragg
Garner
160 Driving Academy - Raleigh
Gastonia
Road Knowledge Training Academy
Goldsboro
Wayne Community College
Greenville
Pitt Community College
Henderson
Vance Granville Community College
Hudson
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
Huntersville
Central Piedmont Community College
Kinston
Lenoir Community College
Laurinburg
Richmond Community College
Lumberton
Robeson Community College
Maxton
Richmond Community College
Mocksville
Davidson-Davie Community College
Monroe
Big Rig Academy
Mooresville
The Driving Edge CDL Academy
Morehead City
Carteret Community College
Murphy
Tri-County Community College
Newland
Mayland Community College
Pinehurst
Sandhills community College
Polkton
South Piedmont Community College
Roxboro
Piedmont Community College
Sanford
NC Truck Driving (Central)
Shelby
Cleveland Community College
Smithfield
NC Truck Driver Training School
Spindale
Isothermal Community College
Timberlake
Piedmont Community College
Warsaw
James Sprunt Community College
Washington
Beaufort County Community College
Weldon
Halifax Community College
West End
Sandhills community College
Whitakers
P&D's Trucking Academy LLC
Wilkesboro
Wilkes Community College
Wilson
A2Z Trucking Academy
Winston-Salem
Ancora for Forsyth Technical Community College
Yadkinville
Surry Community College
Creedmoor
Vance-Granville Community College
Louisburg
Vance Granville Community College
Source: FMCSA Training Provider Registry location file, Oct 5, 2026.
What we left out
We left out 770 active registrants in North Carolina: 743 are private (training the employees or students of one organization only); 16 are online-only or travel to the customer; 11 tick "open to the public" but are not schools that take students: 5 employers and carriers training their own drivers, 1 bus or coach operator, 2 government agencies and 3 we could not classify from the registry record. Every count comes from the same registry file. Schools we kept pass a name, domain and class check that we describe on sources.
What CDL school costs in North Carolina
North Carolina programs post tuition to the Labor Department's list of approved training programs, the list workforce boards use to pay for training. Across 54 programs the median is $2,993, the lowest posted price is $1,009 and the highest is $7,495. Completion and job rates are on each school's page where it has them.
State fees
| Commercial learner permit | $26 |
|---|---|
| Class A license | $26 |
North Carolina DMV pages, checked October 5, 2026 · fee page. The DOT medical exam is extra.
North Carolina's CDL manual (state DMV).
Source: TrainingProviderResults.gov program file (downloaded Oct 5, 2026); North Carolina DMV pages.
Free and company-paid training in North Carolina
Workforce boards. If you qualify for WIOA, a North Carolina workforce board can pay tuition at a school on the state's approved list. Ask at an American Job Center before you enrol, because boards pay only for programs on the list.
Carrier-paid programs that list North Carolina among their training sites. Training is free up front because you agree to drive for the carrier. What the carrier's own pages say:
| Carrier | Cost to you | Commitment | If you leave early |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Inc. | $0 upfront if you drive for Prime 1 year with CDL; Prime blog states $155 student cost ($100 admin fee + $55 permit/test costs) | 1 year driving for Prime with CDL | unverified on the carrier's page (tuition becomes payable if commitment not met) |
| Stevens Transport | no out-of-pocket costs | 'your commitment' - length not on page; third-party reports promissory-note model | unverified |
Carrier pages checked Oct 5, 2026. "Unverified" means the carrier does not publish it; ask for the signed agreement before you start. All carriers
How to check a North Carolina school before you pay
Since February 2022 you can only take the CDL skills test after finishing entry-level driver training with a provider on FMCSA's registry. Search the school's name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm its status says Active. Or use our check-a-school page, which also searches the removed list.
FMCSA has removed 196 North Carolina training locations from the registry, 186 of them involuntarily. The registry lists 24 more North Carolina locations as under review. A school on the removed list cannot certify your training. Removals by state
47% of North Carolina's Class A schools updated their registry record in 2026; 22 have left their record untouched for over two years.
Questions people ask
How much is CDL school in North Carolina?
Programs on North Carolina's approved training list post a median of $2,993, with the middle 80% between $1,594 and $4,200. With the permit and license fees, plan on about $3,044 before the medical exam.
How many CDL schools are in North Carolina?
74 schools in North Carolina are registered for Class A training and open to the public, in 62 cities. 3 more schools teach only Class B, passenger or school bus training. FMCSA lists 196 North Carolina locations as removed.
How do I check that a North Carolina school is on the FMCSA registry?
Search the school's name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm its status says Active. Our check-a-school page searches active, removed and under-review records in one box.
Is there free CDL training in North Carolina?
Two routes. A workforce board can pay tuition at a school on North Carolina's approved training list if you qualify under WIOA, and some carriers train you for free in return for a work commitment. The terms differ, so read the signed agreement before you start.