Minnesota Suspends Non-Domiciled CDL Program After USDOT Intervention

Federal transportation regulators have demanded that the state of Minnesota immediately cease issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDL) to drivers without a permanent residence in the U.S. The decision was made following an audit that revealed systemic violations of federal requirements and jeopardized over $30 million in federal highway funding.

The official notice was sent to the state by the U.S. Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The letter stated that Minnesota was not complying with the standards of 49 CFR Parts 383 and 384, which regulate the issuance of CDLs. This was stated in an official FMCSA statement from January 2024: FMCSA: Exposes illegally issued non-domiciled CDLs.

According to FMCSA, the audit found that a significant portion of non-domiciled CDLs were issued with violations. Specifically, it involved cases where:

• the CDL validity period exceeded the driver's legal stay in the U.S.;
• licenses were obtained by individuals who did not meet federal criteria;
• immigration status checks were conducted improperly.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted in a statement that such practices "create risks for road safety" and emphasized that compliance with federal rules "is not an option, but an obligation."

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed that it had suspended the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs but disagreed with some of the federal authorities' findings. In an official response published in January 2024, state representatives stated that they had already taken corrective measures and that some FMCSA requirements were related to rules whose enforcement had been suspended by the court. The DPS statement is available here: Minnesota DPS response regarding non-domiciled CDLs.

Pong Xiong, Director of the Driver and Vehicle Services division, emphasized that the state "does not have data indicating a deterioration in road safety due to non-domiciled CDL holders" and reminded that all drivers undergo the same exams and skill checks.

The Minnesota case has become part of a broader federal campaign to review how states issue CDLs to drivers without a permanent residence. As noted by the industry publication Overdrive, similar issues have previously arisen in other states, and federal authorities are increasingly using financial pressure as a tool to enforce compliance: DOT shuts down Minnesota’s non-domiciled CDL program.

For carriers and the drivers themselves, this means increased scrutiny of CDL status, possible rechecks, and the risk of license revocation. For states, it poses a real threat of losing federal funds if federal requirements are ignored.

The situation continues to develop, and further FMCSA decisions may impact the practice of issuing non-domiciled CDLs nationwide.