13,000 non-domiciled CDLs in California still revoked despite judge’s ruling that DMV must restore licenses

13,000 non-domiciled Commercial Drivers licenses in California are still revoked even after a judge’s ruling that determined the state DMV must restore the licenses. 

In February, a Superior Court Judge in Alameda County, California ordered the state Department of Motor Vehicles to give truck drivers with a non-domiciled CDL a chance to restore their licenses, despite the looming March revocation deadline. The decision came after two advocacy groups sued on behalf of the affected drivers. 

“The court ruled that DMV must accept new applications and act on those applications within a ‘reasonable time frame,’” a DMV spokesperson, Jonathan Groveman, wrote to CalMatters.

Since the ruling, the March revocation deadline has passed, and affected truck drivers no longer have CDLs. Those drivers have been told by the DMV that they may reapply for their CDLs, but that the DMV will take about a year to process the applications, and even then they may not be able to reissue the CDLs due to new US Department of Transportation rulings surrounding the crackdown on non-domiciled CDLs. 

The new federal rule bans almost all noncitizens from obtaining CDLs as of March 16th. The only exceptions are seasonal agricultural workers with H2A or H2B visas, or significant investors in American business with E2 visas, and all are required to undergo vigorous vetting under the new rules. 

While USDOT has already withheld funding from the state for its compliance with new CDL standards, Secretary Duffy has threatened to revoke the state’s ability to issue CDLs altogether if they do not follow the new rules. In February, the DMV sued the DOT over the threats, but has yet to reissue the 13,000 non-domiciled CDLs as directed by the judge, but banned by the federal government. 

On April 2nd, the judge held another hearing in order to receive updates on the situation. The DMV notified that judge that it is still at odds with the federal government over the new, stricter non-domiciled CDL rules, and that the state is still waiting for results of their lawsuit and other legal proceedings. The judge has since agreed to revisit the case in October 2026, just under six months from now.