California DMV revoking 13,000 truck drivers’ licenses after federal mandate

Last Updated on March 7, 2026 by The HD Post Staff

CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced March 6 that the federal government is requiring it to cancel about 13,000 non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).

The move could remove thousands of drivers from California’s trucking workforce. It could also affect freight capacity in one of the nation’s largest logistics hubs.

Non-domiciled individuals are those without U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status. This includes visa holders, refugees, and asylees.

According to the DMV, federal law allows these individuals to obtain a CDL.

Federal regulators said California issued certain non-domiciled CDLs in violation of national residency verification rules.

Officials warned the state could lose its authority to issue commercial licenses and up to $160 million in federal funding if the licenses were not canceled.

“Contrary to misleading statements by the Trump Administration, all the individuals issued non-domiciled CDLs by the DMV had been granted work authorization by the federal government and were legally present in the United States at the time their license was issued,” DMV officials said in a news release.

The DMV said not all non-domiciled CDL holders are affected. Those impacted were already notified that their licenses are subject to cancellation.

Drivers must switch to Class C license

A recent court ruling allows affected individuals to submit new CDL applications. However, the federal government is currently barring the DMV from processing those applications.

DMV officials say the agency remains compliant with state and federal law. They say the federal government must allow the DMV to process applications and issue licenses to eligible drivers.

Affected drivers must obtain a new Class C California driver’s license to continue driving passenger vehicles or light-duty trucks.

DMV Director Steve Gordon said the federal administration’s immigration policies are removing qualified commercial drivers from the workforce.

“There are no guarantees that additional solutions will become available to help these drivers and their employers but, in the meantime, there are immediate actions they must take to get a Class C license to be able to drive regular cars,” Gordon said.

Court denied DMV’s emergency stay

The DMV previously sought to issue corrected CDLs to affected drivers in compliance with state and federal law. It was blocked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied the DMV’s emergency stay request. The request would have allowed the DMV to reissue corrected non-domiciled CDLs without risk of action by FMCSA.

Licenses for non-domiciled CDL holders not affected will remain valid until expiration. However, they cannot be renewed, replaced, or modified.

“Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move and our communities don’t stay connected without them,” DMV spokesperson Eva Spiegel said.