Overview
- California invalidated roughly 13,000 non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses on March 6, leaving affected drivers unable to work.
- An FMCSA audit in August 2025 found California issued CDLs that outlasted drivers’ lawful presence, indicating state administrative errors rather than widespread driver fraud.
- According to NBC San Diego, federal authorities directed the cancellations and a federal court blocked a DMV plan to correct records.
- A federal Final Rule on non-domiciled CDLs takes effect March 16, setting tighter national compliance requirements for states and carriers.
- Reporting indicates California acted under federal funding and enforcement pressure, while lawsuits and industry groups warn of workforce and supply-chain impacts.