CMV drivers legally in US now denied CDL renewals in California under new rules requiring citizenship or permanent residence

Truck drivers who are not citizens or permanent residents but are otherwise in the country legally are no longer able to renew or obtain their CDLs under new rules issued by the FMCSA. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s emergency interim final rule restricting non-domiciled CDLs was issued on September 29th. The FMCSA has specifically accused California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington of improperly issuing non-domiciled CDLs. 

Now that the rule has been issued, truck drivers in California are beginning to notice the effects, and some trucking company owners say they are worried what it may do to a potential driver shortage. 

“Here at the port. There are 32 languages spoken. So that gives you the diversity of people that are working the port. This is a tough business. Trucking is a tough business. So, we usually have minorities that come over here,” said Bill Aboudi, president of AB Trucking, an independent trucking company based at the Port of Oakland, to ABC 7 News.

Truck driver Vivak Sharma says that he was denied his CDL renewal just last week at a California DMV. There, the employees explained to him that only US citizens and green card holders can renew the CDLs at this time. Sharma says he has been in the US legally for the last decade seeking political asylum. He says he has been driving trucks for eight years under a work visa, and that his final court case regarding his asylum is scheduled for 2026. Sharma says that, without his CDL, he will have to start over in a new career and will have to stop sending money home to his family in India. 

Under the new rules, the US government intends to close loopholes that allowed CDLs to be issued to unqualified drivers, and improve road safety. California has until the end of October to comply with the new rules or face losing millions in federal highway funding.