DL 964 is the Commanding Officer’s Certification of Driving Experience, a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) form on which a commanding officer certifies that a military driver is qualified to operate the vehicles listed on it. The form has two pages: the applicant and officer sections, and a list of common military vehicles to circle. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the DMV at its forms page.
Last updated
What is DL 964?
Form DL 964, Commanding Officer’s Certification of Driving Experience, is a California DMV form on which a commanding officer certifies that a driver is qualified to operate specific classes of vehicles and has held a military driver license within the last year.
The form has two sections. Section 1 records the applicant’s name, state or driver license number, birthdate and addresses. Section 2 is completed by the commanding officer: the applicant’s date of qualification (from and to), the vehicle classes operated (A, B or C), any endorsements (T, N, H or X), and whether the driver operated vehicles with air brakes or manual transmission.
The form defines the classes it uses:
- Class A: a combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the towed vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is over 10,000 pounds.
- Class B: a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or one towing a vehicle not over 10,000 pounds GVWR.
- Class C: a vehicle or combination that does not meet Class A or B but is placarded for hazardous materials.
Endorsements are T (Doubles/Triples), N (Tankers), H (Hazardous Materials) and X (Hazardous Materials and Tankers). The second page, Common Military Vehicles, lists models with their class and air brake status; the officer circles the models the applicant drove.
Who needs to file DL 964?
The form is completed by a commanding officer for a driver who operated military vehicles. The applicant supplies the Section 1 information, and the commanding officer completes and signs Section 2.
The officer certifies two things: that the applicant has held a military driver license within the last year, and that the applicant is or was assigned to a job or assignment that required operating a commercial motor vehicle on public roads and highways.
The form prints no other eligibility rules, exemptions or representative provisions. Its warning applies to everyone involved: making a false statement in a driver license application, or in any proof or statement connected with it, or deceiving or substituting another person in connection with it, may lead to criminal prosecution for a misdemeanor or felony under the Vehicle Code and/or Penal Code. Questions about whether the form fits your license situation go to the California DMV.
When to file DL 964
The form has no printed due date. Its triggering event is the officer’s certification: the commanding officer states that the driver has held a military driver license within the last year, so the form should be completed while that statement is true. Section 2 also asks for the applicant’s date of qualification, entered as a FROM date and a TO date. Because the form is tied to a driver license application, as its warning indicates, check with the California DMV about when it is needed for your application.
How to fill out DL 964
Enter applicant name and license number
In Section 1, write the applicant’s name (last, first, middle), the state or driver license number, which the form marks as required, and the birthdate in month/day/year order.
Enter resident and mailing addresses
Write the resident street address, city, state, ZIP code and county. Fill in the mailing address with the same details only if it is different.
Enter the date of qualification
In Section 2, enter the applicant’s date of qualification in the FROM and TO boxes.
Mark vehicle classes and endorsements
Mark a ✓ in the box for each class operated (A, B or C) and for each applicable endorsement (T, N, H or X). Use the class definitions printed on the form.
Mark air brakes and manual transmission
Mark a ✓ in the air brake box if the driver operated vehicles equipped with air brakes. Mark the manual transmission box if the driver operated vehicles with manual transmission.
Circle military vehicle models
On the Common Military Vehicles page, enter the applicant’s name and birthdate, then circle the model number(s) of the vehicle types the applicant drove. The page lists each model’s class and air brake status.
Enter the commanding officer’s details
Write the officer’s name (last, first, middle), rank, command address, city, state, ZIP code and telephone number.
Sign and date the certification
The commanding officer reads the certification and the warning about false statements, then signs and dates on the line marked X.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that the license number, dates, classes and circled models are correct. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and deliver it as the DMV directs.
How to submit DL 964
The form itself prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule. The California DMV publishes it on its forms page at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/form/commanding-officers-certification-of-driving-experience-dl-964/, and the DMV is the place to ask where and how to deliver it with your driver license application.
Before you hand it in, check that the commanding officer has signed and dated Section 2, that the state or driver license number in Section 1 is filled in, and that the model numbers are circled on the second page. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels the DMV gives.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the state or driver license number blank in Section 1; the form marks it as REQUIRED.
- Not circling the model numbers of the vehicles the applicant drove on the second page, as the note under Section 2 directs.
- Skipping the name and birthdate boxes at the top of the Common Military Vehicles page.
- Marking a vehicle class or endorsement the applicant did not operate; the officer certifies the information is correct.
- Forgetting to check the air brake or manual transmission box when the driver operated such vehicles.
- Leaving out the FROM and TO dates of the applicant’s date of qualification.
- Submitting the form without the commanding officer’s signature and date, or without the officer’s rank and command address.
- Making a false statement or having someone else deceive or substitute on the form, which the form says may lead to criminal prosecution.
Frequently asked questions
What is DL 964?
DL 964 is the California DMV’s Commanding Officer’s Certification of Driving Experience. A commanding officer uses it to certify that a driver is qualified to operate the vehicle classes marked on it and has held a military driver license within the last year.
Who fills out the DL 964 form?
Both the applicant and the commanding officer. The applicant gives name, license number, birthdate and addresses in Section 1; the commanding officer completes Section 2 with qualification dates, vehicle classes, endorsements, name, rank, command address and signature.
Is the driver license number required on DL 964?
Yes. The Section 1 box for the state or driver license number is marked REQUIRED on the form. Leaving it blank leaves the applicant’s information incomplete.
What do Class A, B and C mean on DL 964?
Class A is a combination with a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more towing a vehicle over 10,000 pounds GVWR. Class B is a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds GVWR or more, or one towing up to 10,000 pounds. Class C covers vehicles that fit neither but are placarded for hazardous materials.
What are endorsements T, N, H and X on this form?
T is Doubles/Triples, N is Tankers, H is Hazardous Materials, and X is Hazardous Materials and Tankers. The commanding officer marks only the endorsements that apply to the vehicles the applicant operated.
What is the second page of DL 964 for?
It is a table of common military vehicles with each model’s class and air brake status. The officer circles the model numbers the applicant drove, and the applicant’s name and birthdate are written at the top of that page.
What happens if I make a false statement on DL 964?
The form warns that a false statement in a driver license application or in connected proof may lead to criminal prosecution for a misdemeanor or felony under the Vehicle Code and/or Penal Code. It applies to deceiving or substituting too.
Can I fill out DL 964 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the form to the California DMV; delivery follows the DMV’s own channels.
Ready to fill out DL 964?
Fill out DL 964 now