CDL manual editions by state
Mississippi, New Jersey, Virginia and Ohio print the same 2025 AAMVA model CDL manual text that Texas uses. New York, Pennsylvania and California print older wording. We measured how much of each state's manual matches the Texas handbook word for word.
Almost every state builds its CDL manual from the model manual published by AAMVA, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. States update on their own schedules, though, so two states can be one or more editions apart.
The comparison
Measured on 4 November 2026 from each state's official PDF.
| State | Manual | Edition shown | Word-for-word match with Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | DL-7C, revised March 2026 | © 2025 AAMVA | (the reference) |
| Mississippi | CDL Driver's Manual, March 2025 | © 2025 AAMVA | 98% |
| New Jersey | CDL Manual, March 2025 | © 2025 AAMVA | 97% |
| Virginia | DMV 60A | © 2025 / 2026 AAMVA | 88% |
| Ohio | HSY 7605 | © 2025 AAMVA | 82% |
| New York | CDL-10 (11/25) | Older AAMVA wording | 70% (Section 2) |
| Pennsylvania | PUB 223 (2-24) | Older AAMVA wording | 68% (Section 2) |
| California | DL 650 | Older edition | 45% |
| Alabama | CDL Manual, July 2017 version, plus a 2024 supplement | © 2005 AAMVA | not measured |
| North Carolina | CDL Manual, July 2014 version | 2005 testing system | not measured |
How we measured
- We extracted the text of each official PDF the same way.
- We counted the share of the state's 8-word sequences that also appear, word for word, in the Texas handbook.
- Same edition: manuals that print the 2025 text score 82–98%. The gap is mostly each state's own introduction and state-specific sections.
- Older editions: 45–70%.
- Partial checks: New York and Pennsylvania publish their manuals one section per file, so we compared Section 2, Driving Safely.
- Not measured: Alabama's PDF text came out scrambled, and we used North Carolina's edition label instead of measuring it.
What it means for you
- Study your own state's manual. It's free from your state's licensing agency, and it's the source your test is written from.
- The facts mostly carry over between states; the wording doesn't always. Practice built on a different edition can phrase things differently from your manual.
- State-only sections don't carry over at all. Texas's Special Requirements section is the source of the Texas Commercial Rules test, and it exists only in the Texas handbook.
CDL Mile covers Texas today, and every question cites its DL-7C page. States that print the same 2025 text are the natural next ones.
Questions drivers ask
- Which states use the same CDL manual as Texas?
- Mississippi, New Jersey, Virginia and Ohio print the same 2025 AAMVA model manual text as Texas, matching it 82 to 98 percent word for word. New York, Pennsylvania and California print older wording.
- Source: CDL Mile comparison of official state manuals, 4 Nov 2026
- Is the CDL manual the same in every state?
- Mostly the same model, not the same edition. Nearly every state adapts the AAMVA model CDL manual, but states update on their own schedules and add their own sections, such as Texas Section 14. Study your own state's manual.
- Source: CDL Mile comparison of official state manuals, 4 Nov 2026
Source: Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook (DL-7C), revised March 2026. Last checked November 4, 2026. CDL Mile is independent and not affiliated with Texas Department of Public Safety. Get your free score