saej3300.com
SAE J3300, explained
A plain-English guide to the professional driving skill certification used by proving grounds and vehicle test teams.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by SAE International or Probitas Authentication.
What is SAE J3300?
SAE J3300, "Driving Level Skill Certification", is an SAE International Recommended Practice. It gives professional drivers and test facilities a common way to certify basic car-control skill, so a driver certified at one proving ground is assessed to the same criteria as a driver certified at another.
- Developed by SAE's Driving Skills Standards Committee. Work began in 2016 among proving-ground safety specialists; by 2020 the committee had more than 60 subject-matter experts from over 40 organisations.
- First published May 2020. Reaffirmed in May 2025 under SAE's five-year review.
- It is voluntary: a Recommended Practice, not a law or licence.
- Aimed at test and development drivers, but individuals outside the industry can also be certified.
Source: SAE J3300 page, SAE Media 2020 article
The J3300 family
| Document | Covers | Levels | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAE J3300 | Foundational driving levels | DL1, DL2, DL3, DL4 | Published 2020, reaffirmed 2025 |
| SAE J3300/1 | Low-grip (low mu) and winter driving | LM2, LM3, LM4 | Published 2020 |
| SAE J3300/2 | Trailer towing, light and heavy | TT1-L, TT1-H, TT3-L, TT3-H | Current revision April 2025 |
| SAE J3300/3 | Automated driving: fallback test drivers for vehicles with automated driving systems | To be defined | In development, not yet published |
According to Probitas, foundational (DL) certification is a prerequisite for most endorsements; for example, trailer towing requires DL1 or DL3.
Source: Probitas J3300 program page
The driving levels
| Level | What it qualifies you for | Prerequisite | To keep it valid (each year) | Recertify every |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL1 | Access roads only; basic requirement for non-procedure driving | None | No maintenance | 10 years |
| DL2 | Minimum for access to test surfaces; low-speed, sub-limit set driving procedures | None | At least 4 hours driving to set procedures | 10 years |
| DL3 | Near-limit handling up to 100 km/h (60 mph); steady-state speeds up to 160 km/h (100 mph) | None | At least 4 hours of set procedures including some non-linear handling | 5 years |
| DL4 | Limit handling up to 120 km/h (75 mph); straight-line speeds up to 200 km/h (125 mph) | None | At least 4 hours of limit handling | 5 years |
| LM2 | Minimum for access to low-grip (low mu) test surfaces; low-speed procedures | None | At least 4 hours of low-mu driving to set procedures | 10 years |
| LM3 | Near-limit handling on low mu up to 65 km/h (40 mph); straight-line up to 90 km/h (55 mph) | None | At least 4 hours of low-mu set procedures including some non-linear handling | 5 years |
| LM4 | Limit handling on low mu up to 100 km/h (60 mph); speeds up to 130 km/h (80 mph) | None | At least 4 hours of limit handling | 5 years |
| TT1-L / TT1-H | Towing a light (Class C) / heavy (Class E) trailer below 0.3 g lateral load | DL1 | At least 4 hours towing that trailer class | 10 years |
| TT3-L / TT3-H | Towing a light / heavy trailer at 0.3 g lateral load and above | DL3 and the matching TT1 | At least 4 hours at 0.3 g or more with that trailer class | 5 years |
Summary only. The exact test criteria, prerequisites and maintenance rules are in Probitas's published requirements.
Source: Probitas "Testing criteria, prerequisites, maintenance and recertification" (PDF)
How drivers are assessed
- Tests are driven on a closed course and are pass/fail, run by SAE-approved examiners at certified facilities.
- Examiners assess five things: safety (no striking objects), control (smoothness), consistency (repeatability), pace (appropriate and consistent speed), and behaviour/attitude (judgement, following instructions, not being distracted).
- Certification is issued by Probitas Authentication, the credentialing body SAE designated for J3300, part of SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (SAE ITC).
- Certifications need annual maintenance to stay valid (see the levels table).
How to get certified
- Decide the level or endorsement your work needs (for example, DL2 is the minimum for access to test surfaces).
- Find a certified test facility that covers that level (see below).
- Register through the Probitas J3300 driver portal and arrange testing with the facility.
- Pass the examination on the facility's course.
- Keep the certification valid by logging the required annual driving and submitting the annual declaration.
Driver fees are not published; ask the facility or Probitas.
Where to test
Certified J3300 facilities, as listed by Probitas in April 2024. Check the current list before planning a visit.
| Facility | Location | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Michelin Laurens Proving Grounds | Laurens, South Carolina, USA | DL1–DL4 |
| Applus IDIADA Proving Ground | L'Albornar, Tarragona, Spain | DL1–DL4 |
| Smithers Winter Test Center | Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA | LM2–LM4 (winter) |
| Eaton Marshall Proving Ground, with Technical Professionals Group | Marshall, Michigan, USA | DL1–DL4, trailer towing TT1/TT3 |
Probitas also lists an independently approved examiner for DL1–DL2 and trailer towing.
Source: current list (PDF), Smithers announcement, TPG J3300 page, IDIADA driver training
For facilities: becoming a J3300 examiner
- Facilities can have their own staff certified as J3300 examiners to test employees and contract drivers, or to offer public testing.
- Examiner certification covers the examiner, the facility and the test vehicles, and usually takes about one day.
- Published fees (Probitas, check for current rates): $9,950 per examiner for the first standard, $4,975 for each additional standard; discounts for multiple examiners; certifier time at $185/hour plus travel; examiners recertify every 3 years; certifying a new track or vehicle setup at an existing site costs $2,950.
Source: Probitas examiner FAQ (PDF)
J3300 and automated vehicles
- The J3300 family includes a planned automated-driving document, J3300/3, for fallback test drivers (the safety drivers who supervise automated vehicles under test). As of this review it has not been published, and Probitas says its criteria will follow when it is.
- Until then, the main industry references for AV test drivers are the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium's best practice for fallback test driver selection, training and oversight (AVSC00001, 2019) and SAE J3018 on safe on-road testing of prototype automated driving systems.
Source: AVSC00001
FAQ
- Is SAE J3300 a legal requirement?
- No. It is a voluntary SAE Recommended Practice. Employers and test facilities choose whether to require it.
- Who issues J3300 certificates?
- Probitas Authentication, the credentialing body SAE designated for J3300. Testing is done by SAE-approved examiners at certified facilities.
- Can anyone get certified?
- Yes. It is aimed at professional test and development drivers, but it is open to other drivers too.
- How much does driver certification cost?
- Driver fees are not published. Ask the test facility or Probitas.
- Does a J3300 certification expire?
- Yes. Each level needs annual maintenance and periodic recertification, every 5 or 10 years depending on the level.
- Is there a J3300 certification for autonomous vehicle safety drivers?
- Not yet. J3300/3, for fallback test drivers, is in development and has not been published.
- Where can I read the standard?
- SAE International sells SAE J3300 and its endorsement documents on sae.org.
Sources
- SAE International — SAE J3300 Driving Level Skill Certification
- SAE Media (2020) — article on the new driving skill standard
- Probitas Authentication — SAE J3300 credentialing program
- Probitas — testing criteria, prerequisites, maintenance and recertification (PDF)
- SAE Media (WCX 2023) — article on J3300 certification
- Probitas J3300 driver portal
- Probitas — certified facilities and examiners, April 2024 (PDF)
- Smithers — Winter Test Center named an SAE J3300 driving certification site
- Technical Professionals Group — SAE J3300 certification
- Applus IDIADA — driver training
- Probitas — examiner certification FAQs (PDF)
- AVSC00001 (2019) — best practice for fallback test driver selection, training and oversight
- US Army — standardized professional driver certification, a reality thanks in part to an ATC engineer