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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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Ohio has become the latest state to strip or downgrade commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) from foreign-born truck drivers, highlighting a sweeping national shift over who is and isn't allowed behind the wheel of a heavy freight vehicle in the United States.
According to Transport Topics, a trucking and transportation publication, Ohio officials have begun downgrading CDLs for about 1,200 drivers whose documentation no longer meets updated federal requirements, part of a wider review affecting roughly 5,000 license holders.
The move isn't happening in isolation but follows a broader federal effort involving new eligibility rules, a nationwide audit of state licensing practices, and stricter requirements and oversight focused on road safety and immigration documentation.
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Why Ohio Has Rolled Out Restrictions
The changes stem from a set of federal actions initiated in 2025 and formalized in 2026 that significantly tightened eligibility for so‑called non‑domiciled CDLs. These licenses are issued to drivers who are legally authorized to work in the U.S. but aren't permanent residents.
Under the updated rules, eligibility has been sharply narrowed, with federal regulators limiting access largely to specific visa categories—such as H‑2A (for temporary farm workers), H‑2B (for temporary nonfarm workers) and E‑2 (for investors or business owners)—and requiring stricter checks on immigration status.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered a nationwide audit of state licensing systems, finding that some states had issued licenses to ineligible drivers or allowed them to remain valid long after their lawful status had expired.
The audit and rule changes have forced Ohio and other states to reexamine both current and past licenses.
States Pausing Non-Domiciled CDLs
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Ohio is part of a growing group of states taking concrete action to remove or restrict driving privileges for non‑domiciled CDL holders.
Transport Topics reported that Oregon permanently ended its non‑domiciled CDL—and its commercial learner's permits (CLPs)—program, leaving about 900 drivers unable to renew or replace their licenses.
Several other states have moved to pause or restrict non-domiciled CDLs:
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has halted key CDL processes while reviewing the policy's impact. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation told Transport Topics it had "paused the issuance, renewal, transfer, replacement and update of non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs during its review of the new federal regulations."
About 12,400 Pennsylvania residents hold non-domiciled CDLs.
Colorado
Similarly, the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed to Transport Topics that it had "paused all issuance and renewals of term-limited, non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs until further notice," while it reviewed "processes to ensure compliance with the new federal regulation."
Washington
The Washington State Department of Licensing has gone further, stopping all processing of non-domiciled CDL-related transactions, including "originals, renewals, upgrades, duplicates, or replacements."
Texas
In Texas, officials have suspended CDL services for certain noncitizen groups, including refugees, asylees and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.
The state has also introduced stricter enforcement measures, including English language proficiency checks for commercial drivers.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott said the policy reflected a "zero tolerance" approach to federal safety rules, stressing the importance of clear communication for roadway safety.
California
California has likewise stopped issuing and renewing limited-term, non-domiciled CDLs, saying, "California DMV cannot issue, reissue, or renew limited-term legal presence (non-domiciled) commercial driver's licenses."
The state said the changes affect individuals who are legally present in the U.S. but are not permanent residents or citizens, including those on certain work visas and those with pending or approved asylum claims.
California has also faced increased federal pressure over compliance, after a federal audit found that more than 25 percent of reviewed non-domiciled CDLs were improperly issued.
States Under Federal Pressure
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Federal regulators have identified several states as having significant compliance problems, putting them under pressure to act.
Those include the following:
- California (flagged as having the most serious issues)
- Colorado
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Washington
Officials in these states have already paused or revised their programs and are now reviewing whether to revoke or reissue licenses that fail to meet federal rules.
More broadly, the audit found that more than 30 states had issued some noncompliant licenses, and 26 states received formal enforcement actions, suggesting that additional states could take action as reviews continue.
The Broader National Push—and Why It Matters
Behind the state‑level actions is a coordinated federal effort to tighten control over who can legally operate commercial trucks in the U.S.
The new rules, alongside enforcement actions, are expected to significantly reshape the trucking workforce.
Federal estimates suggest that roughly 194,000 drivers who hold non‑domiciled CDLs could be affected as the stricter requirements take hold.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in September, "There are roughly 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders, which is approximately five percent of the 3.8 million active interstate CDL holders in 2024.
"FMCSA anticipates that these drivers will exit the market within approximately two years as their credential comes up for renewal." It added that the market would respond by adjusting rates and drivers and carriers would enter the market "where needed."
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