CDL Driver Application Form

Finding qualified commercial drivers is one of the biggest challenges facing logistics and transportation companies today. Whether you're a regional freight carrier, long-haul trucking operation, or local delivery service, hiring safe, experienced CDL drivers requires careful vetting and comprehensive documentation—and that process starts with a thorough application.

This CDL Driver Application Form template is purpose-built for logistics companies, trucking firms, and transportation providers who need to collect complete driver credentials, verify license classifications, review endorsements, and ensure DOT compliance from day one. Instead of juggling paper applications, phone calls, and missing documents, this form brings your entire driver screening process into one professional, mobile-friendly experience.

Why logistics companies choose Paperform for driver recruitment

Traditional driver applications often mean stacks of paperwork, unclear handwriting, missing documentation, and endless back-and-forth to get basic information. This template streamlines the entire intake process so your recruiting and safety teams can focus on qualified candidates rather than chasing forms.

With Paperform's flexible form builder, you can customize every question to match your fleet requirements—whether you run local routes, regional hauls, or coast-to-coast freight. Conditional logic ensures drivers only see questions relevant to their license class and experience level, while file upload fields make it easy to collect license scans, endorsement documentation, MVR authorizations, and DOT medical certificates in one submission.

What's included in this CDL driver application template

This template covers the full spectrum of information logistics companies need to evaluate and onboard commercial drivers:

Personal and contact information – Name, address, phone, email, and emergency contact details, ensuring you can reach candidates quickly throughout the hiring process.

CDL license verification – Capture license number, state of issue, class (Class A, B, or C), expiration date, and any restrictions, giving your safety team instant visibility into driver qualifications.

Endorsements and restrictions – Collect details on Hazmat (H), Tanker (N), Doubles/Triples (T), Passenger (P), and other endorsements, plus any restrictions that might affect route assignments.

Driving history and experience – Years of CDL experience, types of vehicles operated, types of freight hauled, and total mileage logged, helping you match drivers to the right roles.

Driving record authorization – Built-in consent section for MVR (Motor Vehicle Record) and background checks, keeping your hiring process compliant and transparent.

DOT physical and medical certification – File upload field for current DOT medical cards, plus expiration dates, ensuring every driver meets federal physical requirements before they start.

Employment history – Previous employers, dates of employment, equipment operated, and reasons for leaving, giving you a complete picture of each candidate's background.

Route and schedule preferences – Whether drivers prefer local, regional, or long-haul routes, day or night shifts, and home-time expectations, helping you align assignments with lifestyle needs and improve retention.

Safety and compliance questions – Accident history, traffic violations, DUI/DWI records, and license suspensions, with conditional follow-ups for full transparency.

Availability and start date – When the driver can begin work, helping you plan onboarding and training schedules efficiently.

How this form fits into your driver hiring workflow

Driver recruitment doesn't end when the application is submitted—that's where automation and integration come in. With Paperform and Stepper (stepper.io), you can turn each submission into a structured hiring workflow that saves your team hours of manual work.

When a driver submits their application, Stepper can:

• Send applications directly to your ATS or recruiting software, keeping all candidate information in one system without double entry.
• Notify your safety and compliance team via email or Slack when a new CDL application comes in, so high-priority roles get reviewed immediately.
• Trigger background check and MVR requests through your preferred screening provider, using the authorization and driver information captured in the form.
• Create a checklist or task in your project management tool (Asana, Monday, ClickUp) to track each candidate through interview, drug screening, road test, and onboarding stages.
• Update your HR database or spreadsheet with driver details, license expirations, and endorsement info for compliance tracking and fleet planning.

This kind of automation is especially valuable for logistics companies managing high hiring volumes or operating across multiple terminals. Instead of manually routing applications, chasing documents, or losing track of where each candidate is in the pipeline, your team gets a consistent, repeatable process that scales with your fleet.

Industry-specific features that make a difference

Logistics and transportation hiring has unique requirements that generic job applications just don't cover. This template includes:

License class and endorsement validation – Conditional questions that adapt based on the driver's CDL class and endorsements, ensuring you collect the right details without overwhelming candidates with irrelevant fields.

DOT compliance documentation – Dedicated file upload fields for medical cards, license scans, and other federally required documents, keeping your DOT file folders audit-ready from day one.

MVR authorization built in – Clear, compliant language that gives you permission to pull driving records, background checks, and drug test results as part of your hiring process.

Flexible route preferences – Options for local, regional, OTR (over-the-road), dedicated lanes, and schedule preferences, helping you match drivers to routes they'll actually want to run—improving retention and reducing turnover costs.

Mobile-friendly design – Drivers can complete the application from their phone in under 10 minutes, whether they're at a truck stop, at home, or between loads, removing barriers that cause candidates to drop off mid-application.

Who this form is for

This CDL driver application template is ideal for:

• Trucking and freight companies hiring Class A drivers for long-haul, regional, or dedicated routes
• Logistics and 3PL providers building diverse driver pools for multiple customer contracts
• Delivery and last-mile services recruiting Class B and C drivers for local and urban routes
• Specialized carriers (flatbed, tanker, refrigerated, hazmat) needing drivers with specific endorsements
• Fleet managers and HR teams looking to streamline driver intake, improve compliance, and reduce time-to-hire
• Owner-operators and small carriers who want a professional application process without enterprise-level complexity

Customize, integrate, and scale with Paperform

Every logistics operation has different equipment, routes, and compliance needs, so this template is fully customizable. Add questions about specific equipment types (reefer, flatbed, tanker), regional knowledge, willingness to train, or language skills. Adjust conditional logic to pre-screen for must-have endorsements or disqualifying violations. Change the branding, colors, and fonts to match your company's look and feel.

Once you've tailored the form to your fleet, Paperform makes it easy to share: embed it on your careers page, link to it from job ads on Indeed or CDL job boards, post it on social media, or send it directly to referrals. Every submission is stored securely, with all uploaded documents and driver details in one organized place.

And because Paperform is SOC 2 Type II compliant and offers data residency controls, you can trust that sensitive driver information—SSNs, license numbers, medical records—are handled with the same level of security your fleet operation demands.

Why driver recruitment matters more than ever

With the ongoing driver shortage and increasing regulatory scrutiny, logistics companies can't afford slow, disorganized hiring processes. Every day a truck sits idle costs money. Every underqualified driver puts your safety rating at risk. And every candidate who drops out mid-application because your process is too cumbersome is a missed opportunity.

This CDL Driver Application Form helps you move faster, stay compliant, and make better hiring decisions by giving you complete, accurate driver information from the very first touchpoint. Combined with Paperform's automation and integration capabilities—and Stepper's workflow engine—you get a hiring system that works as hard as your drivers do.

Whether you're hiring one driver or onboarding an entire terminal, this template is built to help logistics companies recruit smarter, onboard faster, and keep their fleets moving.

Get started today: Customize this template to match your fleet's requirements, connect it to your recruiting tools, and start building a stronger, safer driver team.