Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act

Full Title:
Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act

Summary#

This bill changes who a State may give a commercial driver's license (CDL) to when the applicant is domiciled outside the State. Generally, a State may only issue a CDL to someone domiciled in that State or in a State that does not issue CDLs. Under rules the Secretary will write, a State may issue a CDL to a person domiciled in a foreign jurisdiction if the person has lawful immigration status, holds a visa the Secretary says is tied to an employment reason for a CDL, and the State confirms the person's lawful status before issuing, transferring, renewing, or upgrading the license. For foreign-domiciled applicants, the license may be issued for up to 1 year or until the person's authorized stay expires, whichever is shorter. The State must keep records about such licenses for at least 2 years and provide those records to the Secretary within 48 hours if asked. For applicants domiciled in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands, the applicant must present proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, the State must confirm that status before certain license actions, and the State must keep and provide records on the same schedule.

What it means for you#

  • If you drive commercially and live outside the State, you may be eligible for a State-issued CDL only under the conditions the bill describes.
  • If you are domiciled in a foreign country, you must have lawful U.S. immigration status and an employment-related visa approved by the Secretary to get a CDL under this rule. Licenses in that situation are time-limited.
  • If you live in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands, you must show U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status to get a CDL under this provision.
  • State motor vehicle agencies must confirm immigration or citizenship status and keep issuance records for at least 2 years and provide them to the Secretary within 48 hours on request.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on estimated costs or funding is included in the bill text. The bill requires states to verify status and retain records for at least 2 years and to provide records within 48 hours of a request, which may require administrative work by state motor vehicle agencies.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the provided text.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the provided text.