The U.S. Department of Transportation said on Nov. 12, 2025, that California will revoke about 17,000 non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses after a federal audit found widespread violations. The move follows an August crash in Florida that killed three people and a Florida lawsuit targeting California’s licensing practices.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said California has agreed to revoke roughly 17,000 non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses after a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit found the state issued licenses that did not comply with federal rules. Holders have been notified their credentials will expire in 60 days while FMCSA reviews California’s full audit and corrective actions. (transportation.gov)
Duffy characterized the revocations as evidence of systemic failures in California’s program and warned that federal transportation funds could be withheld if deficiencies persist. California disputes wrongdoing and says affected drivers had valid federal work authorization when licensed; state officials argue the revocations address compliance issues identified by the federal audit, not a policy of licensing people without legal status. (apnews.com)
The crackdown comes amid political fallout from an Aug. 12, 2025, crash on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Pierce. Prosecutors say 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, an Indian national accused of being in the country illegally, attempted an illegal U-turn in a semi-truck, causing a collision that killed three people. Court filings and federal statements indicate Singh held a California-issued CDL at the time. He has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and remains jailed without bond. (apnews.com)
In October, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against California and Washington over their handling of commercial licenses for noncitizens, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to curb states’ ability to issue CDLs to people in the country illegally. During a Fox News appearance announcing the suit, Uthmeier said Florida “can do everything right” but still suffers when other states enable such licensing—remarks reported by The Daily Wire and regional outlets. (overdriveonline.com)
Federal officials say the problem extends beyond California. FMCSA’s nationwide review flagged multiple states for irregularities and prompted an emergency rule in late September tightening eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs and directing states to verify immigration status, while the administration moved to strictly enforce long-standing English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. California, meanwhile, offers certain CDL knowledge tests in languages other than English, as does Washington, even as road tests and on-the-job operation require English proficiency under federal rules. (fmcsa.dot.gov)
California’s DMV has paused processing non-domiciled CDLs in response to the new federal rule and says affected drivers should review FMCSA guidance. The department says it will continue working with federal regulators as the 60-day revocation window runs. (dmv.ca.gov)
