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  4. Third-Party Tester Program

Third Party Tester - Application Process

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  • Third-Party Tester Program
    • Third Party Tester - Application Process
    • Third Party Tester Examiner – Application Process

Before you apply, review the law pertaining to third-party testers under the Code of Virginia including §§ 46.2-341.14:1 through 46.2-341.14:10.

Application Requirements

To apply, you must submit:

  • An application for Third-Party Tester Certification (TPT 553);
  • A Third-party Tester Agreement (TPT 555) signed by an authorized representative;
  • An application for a Third-Party Examiner (TPT 554) for at least one employee (To find out more about the certification process for third-party examiners, refer to Applying to Become a Third-Party Tester Examiner;
  • An application for Third-Party Tester Certification of Skills Test Route (TPT 550) form for each route;
  • A Surety Bond Affidavit and Acknowledgement of Surety (TPT 556) in the amount of $5,000 (non-governmental entities only);
  • A completed application for Extranet Transaction Access (US 532 E/ER) for electronically submitting test results through the DMV EXTRANET;
  • A $25 Application fee for using the Extranet (non-governmental entities only);
  • A $65 fee for each RSA SecurID Token, i.e., the hardware needed to transmit information securely using the EXTRANET program;
  • A waiver request if the company will not meet the 50 CDL drivers requirement;
  • A national criminal background record for each examiner

Note: See TPT 550i for instructions on completing the skills test route form for primary and secondary route.

If the business submits a Waiver Request, request should explain why the company should be certified as a third-party tester and why the testing facilities or programs offered by DMV would not meet the applicant's business requirements.

Mail completed applications, documents and fees to:

Department of Motor Vehicles 
Driver Training Work Center 
Room 519 
2300 West Broad Street 
Richmond, VA 23269

DMV will evaluate the materials submitted by the Third-Party Tester applicant. If the application materials are satisfactory, the Department will schedule an onsite inspection of the training range to complete the evaluation process.

On-Site Inspection

Once it has been determined that all requirements have been met, a DMV representative will contact the company's representative to schedule training and conduct an on-site inspection of the testing range. The minimum amount of space needed to conduct the basic control skills maneuvers is 325ft x 80ft. The company must also have representative vehicles for each class type being used for testing.

Training

Third-Party examiner applicants must successfully complete a training course.

The training will consist of:

  • Classroom training
    • CDL Examiner's Manual
    • Classroom training knowledge tests (general and endorsement). Applicants must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions.
  • Range training
    • Vehicle inspections
    • Basic controlled skills
    • Range training final examination
  • Conducting road skills examination

Applicants should allow at least five days for classroom training and five days for range training. Once the training has been successfully completed, DMV will sign the Third-Party Tester Agreement (TPT 555) and return a copy to the applicant, along with letters of certification for the tester and examiner(s).

Once the training has been successfully completed, DMV will sign the Third-Party Tester Agreement (TPT 555) and return a copy to you, along with letters of certification for the tester and examiner(s).

Important Information:

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires minimum training requirements be met for individuals applying to:

  • Obtain a Class A or Class B commercial driver's license for the first time
  • Upgrade of an existing Class B to a Class A commercial driver's license
  • Obtain a hazardous material endorsement (HME), a passenger (P) or school bus (S) endorsement for the first time

Applicants for a class A or B CDL or a P or S endorsement must complete both theory and behind-the-wheel training prior to completing the applicable CDL road skills exam. Applicants for an HME must complete the theory portion of ELDT prior to taking the Hazmat knowledge exam at DMV. Any entity that wishes to provide this training, must comply with the requirements set out in 49 C.F.R. 380.719 and apply to appear on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry. For entities interested in providing ELDT, information on the requirements and application process can be found at ELDT.

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