Action
Notice of exemption application; request for public comment.
Summary
FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) on behalf of the States for an exemption from concerning proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and concerning proof that the State to which the application is made is the applicant's State of domicile, to enable State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) to accept commercial learner's permit (CLP) and commercial driver's license (CDL) applications from individuals relocating from Puerto Rico. The CVTA explained that it is seeking the exemption to assist citizens of Puerto Rico relocating from the U.S. territory to any of the States in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Through this exemption the SDLA would be allowed to follow the Department of Homeland Security's exception process for persons who, for reasons beyond their control, are unable to present all necessary documents and must rely on alternate documents to establish identity. A CLP document issued under this exemption must be limited to 90 days' validity and is subject to the applicant being actively enrolled in a CDL training school within that State. A CDL document issued under this exemption must be limited to six months' validity, at which time the individual would be required to provide proof that the State that issued the CDL is his/her State of domicile. All other requirements must be satisfied upon initial issuance of the CLP or CDL. Elsewhere in today's issue of the Federal Register, the Agency has granted a limited 90-day waiver to provide the States with this flexibility in the short- term while the exemption is under consideration.