Overview
- State records identified roughly 17,000 commercial licenses with expiration dates extending beyond holders’ legal authorization, and affected drivers are receiving 60‑day notices.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation, citing an FMCSA audit, directed tighter oversight that California must follow for commercial licensing of noncitizens.
- New federal guidance limits eligibility to H‑2A, H‑2B and E‑2 visa holders for future issuances and renewals.
- Procedures now require a federal status check, a maximum one‑year license term or until work authorization expires, and alignment of license expiry with visa or permit dates.
- Officials say most current foreign CDL holders can keep licenses until renewal, but reporting estimates only about 10,000 of roughly 200,000 will qualify to renew under the new rules; a Newsom spokesman said those now flagged had legal status when their licenses were issued.