The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will investigate states issuing non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) in an effort to “protect roadways” and “uphold [the] integrity of trucking.”

On June 27, 2025, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the launch of a nationwide audit into state policies for issuing non-domiciled CDLs, “specifically reviewing the potential for unqualified individuals obtaining licenses and posing a hazard on our roads.”

Duffy has called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to “conduct a nationwide compliance review of states issuing non-domiciled CDLs” in order to “identify and stop any patterns of abuse and ensure federal standards are being met across the country.”

The audit comes in response to an April 2025 Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration calling on USDOT to “review non-domiciled CDLs issued by relevant State agencies to identify any unusual patterns or numbers or other irregularities with respect to non-domiciled CDL issuance.”

“The open borders policies of the last administration allowed millions to flood our country – leading to serious allegations that the trucking licensing system is being exploited. Today, we are launching a nationwide audit to get to the bottom of this,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Our audit is about protecting the safety of families on the road and upholding the integrity of CDLs held by America’s truckers. Every state must follow federal regulations, and ensure only qualified, properly documented drivers are getting behind the wheel of a truck.”

Also in response to the April Executive Order, Duffy recently rolled out a “Pro-Trucker Package”consisting of a series of regulatory changes and initiatives “designed to improve the lives of America’s truck drivers.”

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