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The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is revoking approximately 17,000 commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) following a directive from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The move comes after a federal audit found the licenses were issued in violation of federal regulations, igniting a sharp disagreement between the state and the Trump administration over the underlying cause.
The issue centers on "non-domiciled" CDLs, which are granted to commercial drivers whose primary residence is outside of California. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that an investigation revealed the state had illegally issued these licenses. The federal government contends that California failed to properly verify that the applicants had legal presence in the U.S., a requirement for obtaining such a license. The USDOT had threatened to withhold $160 million in federal highway funding if the state did not comply and cancel the non-compliant licenses.
While acknowledging the licenses were issued improperly, state officials dispute the immigration-related allegations. The California DMV stated the problem was procedural, related to a failure to meet federal requirements that mandate drivers declare a primary state of residence, or "domicile." According to the DMV, the audit highlighted a discrepancy in how state and federal rules on domicile were being applied, rather than a failure to check immigration status.
The discrepancy was revealed during a comprehensive federal audit conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Federal law stipulates that non-domiciled CDLs can only be issued to drivers legally present from countries with reciprocal licensing agreements, like Canada and Mexico, or those holding valid work authorization documents. The cancellations took effect immediately after an emergency order from the Department of Transportation was issued, leaving thousands of commercial drivers unable to operate legally.
