Federal regulators are doubling down on efforts to clean up the non-domiciled CDL system.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on Wednesday, Feb. 11, the unveiling of a final rule that projects to take nearly 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders off the road.
“This rule reaffirms the IFR requirements, aligning the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs with FMCSA’s statutory mandate to ensure the fitness of all drivers who operate a commercial motor vehicle,” the agency wrote in the final rule. “By limiting eligibility to statuses subject to enhanced consular vetting of driver history and interagency screening, FMCSA restores the integrity of the CDL system, closes a significant safety gap and enhances the safety of the traveling public.”
FMCSA’s final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Friday, Feb. 13 and then will take effect 30 days later.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that while U.S. drivers are subject to strict checks through national databases for past violations – such as DUIs or reckless driving – states have issued non-domiciled CDLs without properly vetting the applicant.
“For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems – wreaking havoc on our roadways,” Duffy said in a news release. “This safety loophole ends today. Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first. From enforcing English language standards to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we will continue to attack this crisis on our roads head-on.”
FMCSA estimates that there are currently about 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders and that the final rule will force about 194,000 to “exit the freight market.”
Work to clean up the non-domiciled CDL system began about a year ago. During that time, the DOT has cited several high-profile crashes involving non-domiciled drivers.
After hearing about the problem from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and individual truckers, FMCSA issued an emergency interim final rule in September 2025. The rule took effect immediately as the agency cited concerns that many non-domiciled CDL holders aren’t properly vetted or don’t meet federal qualification standards.
A lawsuit, however, put the rule on hold and forced FMCSA to pause the effective date and go through the typical rulemaking procedure before it could issue a final rule.
So, the agency had to wait to review more than 8,000 public comments before determining how to proceed.
OOIDA said it supports FMCSA’s efforts to reform a system that was allowing too many unqualified drivers on the road.
“OOIDA and truckers across America support the Trump administration’s continued actions to crack down on the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs,” Association President Todd Spencer said. “For too long, loopholes in this program have allowed unqualified drivers onto our highways, putting professional truckers and the motoring public at risk. This final rule is a major step toward safer roads, stronger accountability and a more professional trucking industry.”
Following years of claims about a truck driver shortage, Spencer said that rules became too lax and encouraged motor carriers to find cheap labor.
“The decades-old ‘driver shortage’ narrative has been used to justify lowering standards and bringing inadequately trained drivers into the industry,” Spencer said. “The result has been a steady erosion of professionalism that has made our highways less safe. This rule is a course correction and will remove unqualified drivers from the road.”
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh testified in front of the House about non-domiciled CDLs in March 2025 and then to the Senate in July 2025.
Then in August, OOIDA asked the U.S. Department of Transportation and governors to stop issuing non-domiciled CDLs. Later in 2025, OOIDA asked Congress to take additional steps toward improving CDL training and licensing.
“A critical safety gap allowed unqualified drivers with unknown driving histories to get behind the wheel of commercial vehicles,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said. “We are closing that gap today to ensure that only qualified, vetted drivers are operating on our nation’s roadways. If we cannot verify your safe driving history, you cannot hold a CDL in this country.” LL
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