Document Date: September 26, 2025

Description:

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA” or “Agency”) is required by statute to ensure that all States comply with the commercial driver’s license (CDL) regulations.1 In August 2025, FMCSA initiated an Annual Program Review of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) CDL program in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 31311 and 49 CFR 384.307. During the 2025 Annual Program Review, FMCSA obtained evidence of systemic policy, procedural, and programming errors in California’s issuance of non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and CDLs—that is, CLPs and CDLs issued to drivers who are not domiciled within California.

Attached is the letter sent to the State of California on September 26, 2025 from FMCSA detailing the 2025 Annual Program Review findings. Below is the appendix to this letter. 

Document Date: September 26, 2025

Description:

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA” or “Agency”) is required by statute to ensure that all States comply with the commercial driver’s license (CDL) regulations.1 In August 2025, FMCSA initiated an Annual Program Review of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) CDL program in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 31311 and 49 CFR 384.307. During the 2025 Annual Program Review, FMCSA obtained evidence of systemic policy, procedural, and programming errors in California’s issuance of non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and CDLs—that is, CLPs and CDLs issued to drivers who are not domiciled within California.

Attached is the appendix to the letter sent to the State of California on September 26, 2025, from FMCSA detailing the 2025 Annual Program review.

Document Date: November 13, 2025

Description:

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA or Agency) served the State of California a Preliminary Determination of Noncompliance (preliminary determination) in accordance with 49 CFR § 384.307(b) on September 26, 2025. The preliminary determination proposed a finding that DMV has failed to meet the requirement for substantial compliance with the standards for issuing non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs)1 set forth in 49 CFR § 384.212.2 FMCSA reviewed California’s “Response to the September 26, 2025, Letter Regarding Commercial Learning Permit and Commercial Driver’s License Issuance” (Response), which DMV submitted on October 26, 2025. FMCSA also convened an informal conference on October 30, 2025 with Director Gordon and other DMV representatives to provide California an opportunity to inform FMCSA of its implemented or planned corrective actions, as well as present or discuss any other information for FMCSA’s consideration. Further, through email and telephonic communications that occurred on November 5 and 6, 2025, DMV provided information about its action to rescind approximately 17,000 noncompliant non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs.