Third Party Administrator Qualifications

Thank you for your interest in becoming a state-certified CDL Third Party Administrator. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) requires all applicants to satisfy the following certification requirements to offer CDL skills tests.

Location

The Third Party Administrator shall maintain a place of business in a permanent, regularly occupied building that is located within the state of Florida and meets all applicable safety and legal requirements of the federal, state, and local governments.  A Third Party Administrator must provide proof of ownership of the facility or a current binding lease of the facility with a minimum one year term.

Insurance

The Third Party Administrator shall secure and maintain Commercial Automobile Liability insurance, Commercial General Liability insurance and Workers’ Compensation. For a detailed analysis of the insurance requirements please select the Insurance Requirements link.

Performance Bond

In accordance with 49 CFR 383.75, Third Party Administrators who are not entities of state or local government or public school districts shall secure and maintain a Performance Bond guaranteeing all terms and conditions and other requirements set forth in the signed Third Party Administrator Agreement with FLHSMV will be fulfilled.

The amount of the Performance Bond is determined by the number of individual tests the Third Party Administrator expects to conduct annually. For purposes of determining the bond amount, the pre-trip inspection, basic control skills, and driving test count as three (3) separate tests.

The Performance Bond amount for a Third Party Administrator seeking to administer up to 300 tests annually must be $100,000.

The Performance Bond amount for a Third Party Administrator seeking to administer 301 – 1,600 tests annually must be $500,000.

The Performance Bond amount for a Third Party Administrator seeking to administer 1,601 or more tests annually must be $1,000,000.

The Performance Bond amount for subsequent years will be based on actual tests performed during the previous year.

Staffing and Program Oversight

The Third Party Administrator must employ at least one Third Party Tester to conduct CDL skills testing. Each Third Party Tester must have a valid certificate issued by the FLHSMV for the type(s) of CDL skills test(s) being conducted. Only those workers who maintain current valid certificates may conduct such tests.

Additionally, the Third Party Administrator must create, maintain, and implement a system of oversight and supervision designed to reasonably ensure that each skills test is conducted in strict accordance with the specifications and procedures prescribed by the FLHSMV as set forth in applicable provisions of Rule 15A-7.012, Florida Administrative Code, and the current version of the AAMVA Model CDL Examiners Manual. Each system shall include, at a minimum:

• Written supervisory procedures and policies;
• Annual written certification from Third Party Testers that states that they understand and have complied with all policies and regulations relating to conducting CDL skill tests;
• Unannounced and periodic inspections of each Third Party Tester’s activities by the Third Party Administrator or the person responsible for compliance with this Agreement; and
• A requirement for a full investigation of complaints or indications of non-compliance with this Agreement and/or any applicable regulations.