A new rule on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), promoted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), went into effect in late September and is already creating repercussions nationwide.
The measure, which directly affects about 190,000 drivers, also impacts transportation companies that must adapt to the new federal requirements.
Víctor Torres, director of A2z Trucking Academy in Wilson, North Carolina, told Enlace Latino NC that a large number of his students are part of the refugee program and now face the uncertainty of not being able to complete their training or enter the job market.
“All those students who were training with us will no longer be able to obtain a commercial license. Many had invested money in their courses and now don’t know what will happen to that investment,” he said.
Torres stated that there was no prior official notice about the change: “This came out of nowhere, over a weekend. Neither we nor the state departments received clear communication. It was a complete surprise.”
“This Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg”
Under the new rules, only 10,000 of the 200,000 noncitizens who currently hold commercial licenses would qualify to keep them, according to DOT data.
Under the new regulation, CDL licenses will only be available to drivers with H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visas.
The H-2A visa is for temporary agricultural workers; the H-2B for temporary nonagricultural workers; and the E-2 for people making substantial investments in a U.S. business.
“With the growing shortage of drivers already affecting the supply chain, these changes could make the situation even more difficult,” Torres said.
However, authorities reported that the rules will not apply retroactively, meaning that those 190,000 drivers can keep their commercial licenses at least until they come up for renewal.
“For now, the licenses remain valid until it’s time to renew. But when that happens, those who don’t hold one of the three approved visas will receive a cancellation notice,” Torres explained.
Torres warned that the measure will have a domino effect across the transportation sector.
“Companies are desperate because many of their employees are immigrants with work permits. If they lose their licenses, they’ll lose their drivers and will have to suspend operations,” he said.
According to the instructor, some small companies have already begun to shut down. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. The problems are just beginning,” he said.
“Reinventing Ourselves to Stay Open”
Although the regulation aims to improve road safety and the efficiency of CDL data management, its impact extends beyond the highways.
“At the school, we used to have an average of 37 students; today, there are only 7. While the impact on the business is huge, we have to reinvent ourselves to avoid closing the academy,” Torres said.
Torres shared that during the almost six years the school has been open, about 2,000 drivers have graduated. “They didn’t just become good drivers but also excellent workers,” he said.
According to data provided by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) to Enlace Latino NC, from 2020 to date, a total of 107,764 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) have been issued in the state. During the same period, 323,414 were renewed. The report does not classify or specify how many of those—original or renewed—belong to people with work permits.
The Argument Behind the Change
Sean Duffy, DOT secretary, argued that issuing CDLs to non-domiciled foreign drivers poses a threat to public safety, as it could allow people without legal aptitude, proper supervision, or even English proficiency to operate heavy commercial vehicles.
Duffy cited, as an example, a fatal accident that occurred on August 12, 2025, on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County. An Indian national truck driver, identified as Harjinder Singh, made an illegal U-turn with his semitrailer, causing the death of three people.
“If the states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel, and three valuable lives would still be with us,” the secretary said.
“This accident was a preventable tragedy, caused directly by reckless decisions and aggravated by disgraceful failures,” he added.
What the NCDMV Must Do
Departments of motor vehicles, such as North Carolina’s NCDMV, must comply with stricter requirements:
- Verify immigration status through the federal SAVE system, administered by USCIS.
- Request a valid foreign passport and the I-94 or I-94A form with authorized status.
- Limit the license’s validity to the expiration date of the immigration document or one year, whichever comes first.
- Require in-person renewals—not online or by mail.
- Keep copies of all documents for two years.
- Revoke the license if the immigration status no longer meets the requirements.
In addition, licenses must include a visible mark with the label “non-domiciled.”
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