The U.S. Department of Transportation Initiates Nationwide Review of CDL Issuance to Foreign Drivers

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the launch of a nationwide audit of the procedures for issuing non-domiciled CDL — commercial driver's licenses issued to drivers without permanent residency in the U.S. The audit is being conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and has already caused significant reverberations in the trucking industry.

This is not about isolated inspections, but a systematic review of how states comply with federal requirements when issuing such licenses.

According to USDOT, federal authorities are concerned that in several states, non-domiciled CDLs may have been issued:

• without proper verification of the driver's legal status
• with incorrect license validity periods
• in violation of federal law requirements

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy directly linked the audit to safety concerns:

"Commercial drivers operate multi-ton vehicles. If the licensing system fails, the safety of all road users is at risk."

The official statement is published on the U.S. Department of Transportation's website:
USDOT: Nationwide Audit of Non-Domiciled CDLs

The audits have already uncovered serious violations. The most notable case is the state of New York. According to the federal audit, more than 50% of the reviewed non-domiciled CDLs were issued with violations.

Among the identified issues:

• automatic extension of license validity without considering immigration status
• lack of confirmation of legal residency in the U.S.
• license terms not meeting federal standards

Authorities warned that states failing to address violations might face the loss of federal funding for infrastructure projects.

Details on the FMCSA audit findings are available here:
FMCSA: Enforcement Actions on CDL Issuance

Although the audit is primarily aimed at states, the consequences could also affect the transportation market:

• drivers with non-domiciled CDLs may be called for a recheck of documents
• transportation companies risk facing issues during audits of driver qualification files
• CDL schools and employers will be required to more strictly verify the grounds for training and employment

FMCSA emphasizes that the goal of the audit is not to reduce the number of drivers, but to bring order to the licensing system and eliminate loopholes.

As noted by one of the agency's representatives:

"Federal rules do not exist formally. They are created to ensure that qualified and legally permitted drivers are on the roads."

The audit of non-domiciled CDL is part of a broader strategy to tighten control in the field of commercial transportation. It also includes:

• strengthening compliance checks with federal CDL standards
• attention to language requirements and driver qualifications
• pressure on states that systematically ignore FMCSA requirements

For the industry, this is a signal: the period of a formal approach to licensing is ending.

Additional information on FMCSA's CDL policy is available on the official portal:
FMCSA: Commercial Driver’s License Program