USDOT Warns States on Non-Resident CDL Compliance
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The Transportation Department on June 27 of how states issue non-domiciled commercial driver licenses, with Secretary Sean Duffy warning that any lapse endangers families and violates Trump administration rules.
Non-domiciled CDLs let foreign nationals who live in the U.S. temporarily operate heavy trucks. Federal law requires applicants to present valid immigration documents and pass the same knowledge and skills tests as U.S. residents. Duffy said the examination will determine whether states are “rubber-stamping paperwork” and letting unqualified drivers onto the road.
“The open borders policies of the last administration allowed millions to flood our country — leading to serious allegations that the trucking licensing system is being exploited,” Duffy said in the announcement. “Today, we are launching a nationwide audit to get to the bottom of this. Our audit is about protecting the safety of families on the road and upholding the integrity of CDLs held by America’s truckers.”
The review fulfills President Donald Trump’s March executive order on “.” Under Duffy’s directive, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will send compliance teams to every state and the District of Columbia to examine application files, interview licensing staff and compare procedures with federal standards.
“Every state must follow federal regulations and ensure only qualified, properly documented drivers are getting behind the wheel of a truck,” the secretary said.
USDOT officials said the audit will concentrate on systemic weaknesses rather than isolated clerical errors. States that fall short could face heightened federal oversight or a temporary bar on issuing non-domiciled licenses.
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The action arrives the same week that Duffy unveiled a package of pro-trucker measures that channels hundreds of millions of dollars toward new rest-area parking, rolls back certain equipment mandates and expands online licensing services.
In May, Duffy strengthened long-standing English-language rules for commercial drivers, directing roadside officers to place any trucker who cannot communicate in English out of service. Two months earlier, Trump signed a separate order declaring English the official language of the U.S.
Industry safety groups praised the audit, saying stronger verification could prevent deadly crashes.
