US States Have Revoked 28,000 Non-Domiciled CDLs
Nationally, FMCSA Says 194,000 Drivers Could Lose CDLs
“When state leaders failed to keep Americans on the road safe, we stepped in and held them accountable,” Duffy said. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg)
More than 28,000 foreign truckers no longer deliver cargo in the U.S. after states revoked their non-domiciled commercial driver licenses due to stricter federal regulations expected to remove nearly 200,000 drivers from hauling freight.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted the revoked non-domiciled CDLs among a list of one-year accomplishments to support the trucking industry under the Trump administration.
“We’ve brought back common-sense rules of the road including requiring English-language proficiency and valid working documents for foreign drivers,” Duffy said May 1. “The Trump administration has hit major milestones in our efforts to rein in the trucking industry which has been allowed to operate like the Wild, Wild West for far too long.”
He recalled how the U.S. Department of Transportation spearheaded a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit last June of states issuing non-domiciled CDLs and commercial learner’s permits.
FMCSA Enforcement Actions Sent to Numerous States
Duffy’s announcement stated that 26 states received “official enforcement actions” from FMCSA.
Auditors determined that more than 30 states had issued illegal licenses and permits to foreign truckers.
FMCSA previously stated that more than 30 states “issued tens of thousands [of] non-domiciled CDLs contrary to federal regulations.”
These violations involved driving credentials issued to:
- Drivers with noncompliant non-domiciled CDLs beyond a driver’s expiration date for lawful U.S. presence
- Citizens of Mexico and Canada who aren’t entitled to non-domiciled licenses due to a reciprocal agreement enabling them to use their country-issued licenses
- Lawful permanent U.S. residents who should have been issued regular CDLs instead of non-domiciled ones
- Foreign truckers without evidence verifying legal U.S. residence under FMCSA regulations
Trucking Industry Expected to Lose 194,000 Foreign Drivers
Duffy’s announcement emphasized FMCSA’s final rule in February 2026 that took effect March 16 “to stop unqualified foreign drivers from obtaining a non-domiciled CDL. More than 28,000 illegally issued licenses have been successfully revoked nationwide.”
This statistic represents 14% of the 194,000 current non-domiciled CDL holders expected to “exit the freight market,” as predicted by FMCSA’s final rule.
The final rule stated that FMCSA recognizes there is a population of current non-domiciled CDL holders who will no longer meet new eligibility standards, as well as new drivers with a different immigration status who will be ineligible.
The narrower regulations governing state licensing of foreign truckers are expected to result in a much smaller national pool of 6,000 foreign truckers able to hold these non-domiciled driving credentials.
(THEPALMER/Getty Images)
FMCSA stated that “given the need for non-domiciled CLP and CDL holders to be vetted properly, this final rule limits individuals eligible for non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs to those maintaining lawful immigration status in these employment-based nonimmigrant categories: H-2A and H-2B nonimmigrant visas for foreign workers in agriculture or seasonal/peak-load non-agricultural roles, or E-2 investor visas.”
The revised FMCSA regulations now restrict eligibility to statuses subject to consular vetting and interagency screening of driver history records to close a significant safety gap, because such screening had been required for U.S. citizens but not for non-domiciled foreign truckers.
Under the previous regulations, states lacked access to either a driver’s historical record or concurrent driving record outside the United States. State driver license agencies also didn’t receive notifications of serious traffic violations that occurred in a foreign country during the validity of a non-domiciled CDL. The consular vetting process remedies those past deficiencies.
State Department procedures require consular officers to assess applicants’ driving history, experience and licensing eligibility when reviewing H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visas.
More Non-Domiciled Drivers Could Lose Licenses
More foreign truckers could lose their licenses if they live in a state “prohibited from issuing CLPs or CDLs because the state’s CDL program is decertified,” FMCSA’s final rule predicted.
Although states aren’t required to issue these driving credentials, most do. FMCSA’s enforcement actions after the audits require states to complete corrective actions or face withheld federal grants and possible prohibition from issuing non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs for prolonged noncompliance.
Both California and New York have found themselves one step closer to losing the ability to issue driving credentials to foreign truckers after FMCSA issued final noncompliance notices and permanently rescinded millions of dollars in federal funds as a first-step sanction.
Duffy’s recent announcement also contained a warning to noncompliant states.
“When state leaders failed to keep Americans on the road safe, we stepped in and held them accountable and we’re just getting started,” he declared.
North Dakota has resumed issuing non-domiciled CDLs after recently receiving FMCSA recertification.
Oregon and Nevada opted to permanently cease issuing their versions of non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs to foreign truckers.