If you've searched "4 5 endorsement Ohio" and landed here, you're likely trying to understand what this endorsement combination means on an Ohio Commercial Driver's License — and what's required to get it. Here's what that designation covers and how the process generally works.
On an Ohio CDL, endorsements and restrictions are represented by number and letter codes printed directly on the license. The 4 and 5 codes are restrictions, not endorsements — an important distinction that often causes confusion.
When you see both 4 and 5 on an Ohio CDL, it means the driver passed their skills test in a vehicle that was both automatic transmission and without full air brakes. These restrictions travel together frequently because many testing vehicles — especially lighter commercial vehicles used by first-time CDL applicants — are automatic and non-air-brake-equipped.
These restrictions can significantly limit the commercial driving jobs available to you. Much of the commercial trucking industry — particularly Class A driving with tractor-trailers — relies on:
A driver with Restriction 4 and 5 active on their CDL may be disqualified from operating the vehicles most commonly used in long-haul trucking, certain fleet operations, and jobs that require air-brake-equipped vehicles.
Employers typically verify CDL restrictions before hiring. If your CDL shows restrictions 4 and 5, you'll want to understand whether and how they can be removed.
These restrictions are applied automatically based on the vehicle you use during your CDL skills test (the pre-trip inspection, basic controls, and road test). Ohio follows federal FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) guidelines that set the framework for how restriction codes are assigned nationally.
If you test in an automatic vehicle → Restriction 4 is added. If you test in a vehicle without full air brakes → Restriction 5 is added.
To remove either restriction, you must retest in a vehicle that meets the higher standard:
| Restriction | What You Need to Remove It |
|---|---|
| 4 (No manual transmission) | Retake the CDL skills test in a manual transmission CMV |
| 5 (No full air brakes) | Retake the CDL skills test in a vehicle with full air brakes |
To remove both restrictions, you would need to test in a manual transmission, full-air-brake-equipped CMV — typically a standard Class A tractor-trailer or Class B vehicle that meets both criteria.
In Ohio, this means scheduling and passing the skills test again with the appropriate vehicle. You don't have to retake the written knowledge tests to remove these restrictions, but the specific process, scheduling requirements, and any associated fees depend on how Ohio's BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) handles restriction removal at the time you apply.
Several factors affect what removal actually looks like for a given driver:
It's worth keeping the terminology clear: endorsements (represented by letters like N for tank vehicles, H for hazardous materials, P for passengers, S for school buses) add driving privileges. Restrictions (like 4 and 5) limit them.
When people search "4 5 endorsement Ohio," they're usually referring to the same restriction codes — just using the word "endorsement" loosely to mean any code printed on their CDL. The process for adding endorsements (which typically requires passing a written knowledge test) is separate from the process for removing restrictions (which requires a skills retest).
Whether having Restriction 4 and 5 on your Ohio CDL is a significant issue depends on:
Ohio's BMV website and the testing site or third-party examiner you work with are the authoritative sources for current scheduling procedures, applicable fees, and vehicle requirements for removing these restrictions. Requirements and processing details can change, and what applies to one driver's situation — based on license class, driving history, and testing history — doesn't always apply to another's. 🔑