New York State has revoked and suspended the issuance and renewal of commercial driver licenses (CDLs) for non-citizens, including legal permanent residents, following a federal directive requiring CDL holders to be U.S. citizens. The new rules apply to all new applications and existing licenses, ensuring the compliance with federal law that governs commercial driving privileges.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation, under Secretary Sean Duffy, conducted a nationwide audit in 2025 that revealed over half of New York’s non-domiciled CDL licenses sampled had been issued in violation of federal regulations. Among 200 records reviewed, 107 licenses were granted to drivers whose lawful presence in the United States had expired or was insufficient to qualify for a federal CDL. The audit noted that New York’s licensing system automatically assigned eight-year expiration dates to non-citizen applicants without verifying lawful status.
Federal officials gave New York 30 days to revoke noncompliant licenses and implement corrective measures, warning that failure to comply could result in the withholding of approximately $73 million in federal highway funding. New York has now acted to align its licensing program with these rules.
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Federal officials gave New York 30 days to revoke noncompliant licenses and implement corrective measures, warning that failure to comply could result in the withholding of approximately $73 million in federal highway funding. New York State has now fully aligned its CDL program with federal requirements, revoking all noncompliant licenses and pausing the issuance or renewal of CDLs for applicants who are not U.S. citizens.
CDLs are federally regulated credentials that authorize drivers to operate commercial vehicles and are required for many jobs in transportation and public safety. Federal law mandates that CDL holders must be U.S. citizens, a requirement that differentiates commercial licenses from standard state-issued driver licenses. Under the Greenlight Law, the state continues to issue regular driver licenses to legal residents and illegal immigrants, but CDLs are now strictly limited to U.S. citizens to comply with federal regulations.
The revocation represents a major shift, as New York was previously one of the states issuing long-term commercial licenses to non-citizens, including green card holders. Officials emphasized that all new, renewed, transferred, or upgraded CDLs will now adhere strictly to federal standards, including verification of citizenship.
The Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed that its licensing processes are now fully compliant, and no further licenses will be issued to applicants who do not meet federal eligibility standards.
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