Section 104.06. Skills tests.

 

(1)   Skills tests required.

(a) All persons applying for a license classification not held in this state or another jurisdiction at the time of application, other than an instruction permit, shall take and pass skills tests for the classes and types of vehicles the person seeks authority to operate. A person whose operator's license has expired by more than 4 years and who has no proof of valid, licensed operation within the 4-year period preceding application shall take all required skills tests as if the person had never been licensed.

(b) A skills test conducted in a "Class A" vehicle may be used as the basis for the issuance of a license authorizing "Class A", "B", "C" and "D" privileges.

(c) A skills test conducted in a "Class B" vehicle may be used as the basis for the issuance of a license authorizing class "B", "C" and "D" privileges.

(d) A skills test conducted in a "Class C" vehicle may be used as the basis for the issuance of a license authorizing "Class C" and "D" privileges.

(e) A skills test conducted in a "Class D" vehicle may only be used as the basis for the issuance of a license authorizing "Class D" privileges.

(f) A skills test conducted in a "Class M" vehicle may only be used as the basis for the issuance of a license authorizing "Class M" privileges.

(2)   Administration of skills tests.

(a) Department conducted examinations. All skills tests shall be administered by the department, except as provided in par. (b) .

(b) CDL third party tester examinations. CDL skills tests and pre-trip inspection tests may be administered by a third party tester under contract with the department pursuant to s. 343.16 (1) (b) , Stats. The department may accept certification from a third party tester that a person has taken and passed required CDL skills tests and pre-trip inspection tests.

(c) Third party examiner audits. Notwithstanding par. (b) , as part of its auditing of CDL third party testers, the department may require a CDL applicant who provides a certification of test completion from a third party tester to submit to CDL pre-trip inspection or skills tests administered by the department. In such event, no fee shall be charged for the examinations conducted by the department and the results of those tests shall be used to determine whether a license is issued to the driver, or if a license has already been issued to the driver, whether the license should be cancelled.

(3)   License requirements for skills testing.

(a) " Class D" skills tests. No person may take or pass a "Class D" skills test unless the person holds an instruction permit that is more than 7 days old or is reinstating a cancelled, suspended or revoked operator's license. The following operator's licenses may be used as authorization to operate a motor vehicle during a skills test under this subsection:

1. A person may take one "Class D" skills test using an instruction permit that has an expiration date not more than one year prior to the examination date.

2. A person may take "Class D" skills tests using an expired, cancelled, suspended or revoked operator's license, other than an instruction permit. The department may require any person who fails an examination conducted under this subdivision to obtain an instruction permit as a prerequisite to any subsequent test if, in the examiner's opinion, the person needs additional driving skills practice before the person will be capable of passing a skills test.

(b) CDL skills tests. No person may take or pass a CDL skills test unless the person holds a valid CDL instruction permit, temporary operator's license or driving receipt that authorizes operation of vehicles of the class and type used for the CDL skills test.

(4)   Passenger and school bus endorsements. All persons applying for a passenger or Wisconsin school bus endorsement who do not hold such an endorsement at the time of application shall take and pass a skills test designed for those endorsements.

(5)   Air brakes restriction.

(a) Full skills test. All persons applying for a commercial driver license that is not restricted to prohibit operation of a motor vehicle equipped with air brakes shall take and pass a skills test in an air-brake equipped motor vehicle. This paragraph does not apply to a person holding an unrestricted license from another jurisdiction who is exempt from air brakes testing under s. Trans 104.03 (1) (b) .

(b) Abbreviated skills test. A person holding a commercial driver license with proper classes who applies only to remove an air-brake restriction may be administered an abbreviated skills test in an air-brake equipped vehicle. The department may require a driver to retake a complete CDL skills test if the results of an abbreviated skills test lead the examiner to question whether the driver is compe t ent to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle in compliance with the laws of this state.

(c) Air brake examinations not class specific. A person who passes an air-brake examination in any class vehicle is not required to take subsequent commercial driver license examinations in air brake equipped vehicles to avoid imposition of an air-brake restriction.

(6)   Skills test requirements.

(a) All skills tests shall examine the following driving skills:

1. Right and left turn skills.

2. Operation at intersections.

3. Roadside stop and start.

4. Operator's attention.

5. Operator's ability to control the vehicle.

6. Operator's obeying the rules of the road.

7. Urban driving.

8. Coping with the driving task.

9. Following safe driving practices.

(b) Any skills test may include a test of the operator's ability to stop the vehicle quickly.

(7)   Commercial motor vehicle skills tests.

(a) All commercial driver license skills tests shall examine the following driving skills:

1. Railroad crossing procedures, if the vehicle in which the operator is tested is required to stop at a railroad crossing.

2. Operation on a curve.

3. Expressway or rural driving.

4. Downgrade driving.

5. Upgrade driving.

6. Backing skills.

(b) A commercial driver license skills test may include an air brake examination if the skills test is conducted in a commercial motor vehicle that is equipped with air brakes. If the vehicle does not have air brakes and the applicant has not previously passed a skills test in an air-brake equipped vehicle, a restriction prohibiting the operation of air-brake equipped vehicles shall be applied to a commercial driver license issued to the person.

(8)   School bus endorsement test. All school bus endorsement skills tests shall examine whether the applicant demonstrates sufficient use of both hands and the foot normally used to operate the brake and accelerator, simulated rural student discharge procedures, and railroad crossing stop procedures.

(9)   Regular vehicle skills tests. All "Class D" license driving skills tests shall examine the following driving skills:

(a) Backing skills.

(b) Turnabout, Y turn or U turn.

(c) Parking skills.

(10)   Motorcycle and moped tests. All "Class M" license and "Class D" restricted license for moped or motorcycle operation driving skills tests shall include a U turn.

(11)   Cancellation of skills test or special examination. A skills test or special examination may be canceled or discontinued at any time the examiner determines that it would constitute a hazard to the applicant, the examiner or the public. Grounds for cancelling or discontinuing a skills test or special examination include:

(a) Severe weather.

(b) Hazardous road conditions.

(c) Vehicle equipment defects.

(d) Inability of the examiner to communicate essential traffic instructions to the person taking the test.

(e) Dangerous driving by the applicant.

(f) The applicant appears to be impaired by alcohol or a controlled substance, disoriented, or otherwise unfit to continue the examination.

(12)   Assistance prohibited. No person other than personnel authorized by the department may accompany an applicant during the skills test or special examination.

(13)   Dangerous driving. A person shall fail a skills test or special examination, regardless of points earned, if the person:

(a) Is involved in any accident which the applicant could have prevented, or contacts any fixed object or pedestrian, except for minor bumper to bumper contact that occurs as part of a parking maneuver.

(b) Commits a dangerous act that causes another person to take a defensive action to avoid an accident or that causes the examiner to warn the driver in order to prevent an accident.

(c) Commits a moving traffic violation.

(d) Does not drive attentively.

(e) Demonstrates an inordinate lack of ability, knowledge or skills in any of the following:

1. Exercising ordinary and reasonable vehicle control.

2. Coping with the driving task or conditions.

3. Exercising safe driving practices.

History: Cr. Register, July, 1996, No. 487 , eff. 8-1-96; am. (5) (b) and (6) (a) 3., Register, August, 2000, No. 536 , eff. 9-1-00.

Note

A person who fails a "Class D" skills test on an expired permit will need to obtain an instruction permit and hold it for 7 or 14 days before the person may be retested. A person who has never held a license will need to obtain an instruction permit before testing. See s. Trans. 104.09(2) and (3). Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 There is no minimum period a person must hold a CDL instruction permit prior to CDL skills testing. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Persons holding school bus endorsements from states other than Wisconsin are required to take and pass Wisconsin school bus endorsement knowledge and skills tests. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 See ss. 343.08 and 343.135 , Stats., for information regarding "Class D" restricted licenses. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Form MV3543, Commercial Driver Skills Examination Report, MV3544, "Class D" Skills Test and MV3583, "Class M" Skills Test are used by examiners to score examinations. Copies of the forms are provided to applicants as a report of their test results and can be obtained from driver examiners. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1