ELD vs. ELDT: They're Not the Same Thing
ELD and ELDT are not the same thing. ELD is a logging device drivers use once they're already on the road. ELDT is the federal training you need before you can even test for your CDL.
Published October 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM EDT by Chris Nesbitt
Why everyone mixes these up
It's an honest mistake. Type either one into a search bar fast enough and autocomplete doesn't help much. We've seen people searching for us spell it "edlt," "eldot," "eadt," and at least one memorable "deviot course." All of them were looking for the same thing. None of them were looking for an ELD.
So here's the actual difference, and why it matters which one you're asking about.
ELDT: training you need before you're licensed
ELDT is Entry-Level Driver Training, required under 49 CFR Part 380. If you're applying for your first CDL, upgrading from Class B to Class A, or adding certain endorsements like hazmat, federal law requires you to complete this training through a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before you can take your CDL skills or endorsement test.
It covers both theory, the classroom-style material you can take online, and behind-the-wheel instruction, which you can't. This site handles the theory half.
ELD: a device you use after you're already driving
ELD is Electronic Logging Device, required under 49 CFR 395.8. It's a piece of hardware and software installed in a commercial vehicle that automatically records a driver's hours-of-service duty status, how long you've driven, how long you've been on duty, when you rested. Motor carriers have had to require their drivers to use one since December 2017.
Notice what's missing from that description. Nothing about licensing. Nothing about training. An ELD has no idea whether the person behind the wheel ever took a CDL test in the first place.
No connection, just a coincidence of letters
These two rules live in different parts of the federal code, Part 380 for training, Part 395 for hours-of-service recording, and neither one references the other. A driver training company and an electronic logging device company have never had anything to do with each other. They just ended up with acronyms that look alike on a phone screen.
If you're trying to get your CDL, you need ELDT. You'll worry about an ELD later, once you're actually out there driving for someone who requires one.
Which one applies to you right now
If you're still working toward your CDL, your permit, your endorsement, you need ELDT theory training completed through an FMCSA-listed provider. That's the thing you buy, study, and get certified for before you ever sit for a skills test.
Ready to find the right course? View our courses, $15 each, one course or all four.
Questions people ask
Is ELD the same as ELDT?
No. ELD (Electronic Logging Device, 49 CFR 395.8) is hardware and software a driver uses to record hours-of-service duty status while actually driving for a motor carrier. ELDT (Entry-Level Driver Training, 49 CFR Part 380) is the federal training requirement you have to complete before you can even take your CDL skills or endorsement test. They're governed by different parts of the federal code and have no regulatory connection to each other.
Do I need an ELD to get my CDL?
No. An ELD only matters once you're driving commercially for a motor carrier that is required to use one. Getting your CDL requires ELDT, not an ELD.
What does ELDT stand for?
Entry-Level Driver Training. It's the federal curriculum, administered by an FMCSA-listed training provider, that entry-level drivers must complete before testing for a CDL or certain endorsements.