Truck Driver Licensing Rules Get Formalized, Visa And English Required

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – The Trump administration has issued new federal regulations narrowing eligibility for foreign nationals seeking commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) in the United States. Under the revised rules, only holders of H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 non-immigrant visas will be eligible to obtain it.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said at least 17 fatal crashes in 2025 involved non-domiciled CDL holders whose qualifications could not be ensured and who would not have qualified under the revised standards. The agency also alleged that more than 30 states had improperly issued non-domiciled CDLs.

Several fatal highway crashes in recent months involved drivers Harjinder Singh, Jashanpreet Singh, Rajinder Kumar, and Kamalpreet Singh, all of whom are of Indian origin and held non-domiciled CDLs.

The updated framework ends the practice of allowing non-citizens with Employment Authorization Documents to apply. Under the earlier framework, non-citizens with valid work authorization, including asylum seekers, refugees, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, and Temporary Protected Status holders, were eligible to apply. Under the new rules, EADs will no longer be accepted as proof of eligibility. State officials are now required to verify each foreign applicant’s lawful immigration status through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement, “For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems – wreaking havoc on our roadways,” Duffy said. “Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig.”

Duffy added that the administration would continue enforcing English-language requirements.