Ohio is no longer issuing non-domiciled commercial driver licenses, and is notifying current holders of such licenses of the change.
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Registrar Charlie Norman announced on May 29 the bureau is contacting about 5,000 non-domiciled commercial driver license holders — slightly more than 1% of the state’s CDL holders — about the status of their licenses under updated rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The Ohio BMV said it has not issued or renewed any non-domiciled CDL credentials since FMCSA updated its rules in September of 2025. The staement from Norman also said Ohio BMV does not intend to resume issuing new non-domiciled CDLs in the future nor will it renew any revalidated non-domiciled CDLs after they expire.
Non-domiciled CDL holders will receive one of two letters depending on the type of documentation initially presented to obtain their current credential.
According to the BMV, a notice of CDL downgrade will be sent to individuals whose documentation does not meet FMCSA’s updated rules. These individuals’ CDL credentials will be downgraded to a Class D passenger driver license 30 days after receipt of the notice, prohibiting them from using their Ohio license to drive a commercial vehicle in the U.S.
Those receiving this notice who believe their documents do meet the updated federal standards may request a hearing with the BMV to dispute the downgrade and/or submit additional documentation to prove their eligibility. The acceptable documents, according to federal regulations, include:
- An unexpired Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by USCIS, valid on your most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
- An unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service I‑94 form, both documents must be valid on your most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
Those who previously submitted documentation that does meet FMCSA’s updated rules will receive a letter stating that their credential remains valid until its expiration date.
Ohio has approximately 406,000 CDL holders. The reverification process does not apply to full CDL holders or CDL holders with legally established permanent residence.
For more information, visit https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/dl-cdl-classes.aspx
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