The Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025 would require all tests related to obtaining or renewing a commercial driver’s license to be administered only in English. It also introduces a new eligibility rule: beginning at enactment, a CDL may not be issued to someone who has not held a driver’s license for at least one year, with an exemption for those who already hold a CDL at enactment.
The Secretary of Transportation would issue new regulations within 180 days to implement English-only testing across entry-level driver training, knowledge tests, and third-party providers on the FMCSA registry. Finally, the Secretary could revoke a state’s authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs if the state does not comply with federal standards, including those in this Act.
At a Glance
What It Does
It amends the CDL test language requirement to English and directs federal rulemaking to implement this across entry-level training, knowledge tests, and relevant third‑party providers.
Who It Affects
State driver licensing agencies, testing vendors (including third-party providers on the FMCSA registry), entry-level driver training programs, and CDL/CLP applicants.
Why It Matters
It establishes a uniform English-language testing standard and creates federal oversight to enforce compliance, with potential safety benefits and significant implications for non-English-speaking applicants.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill formalizes English as the sole language for all CDL testing, including tests tied to entry-level training and knowledge assessments, and for third-party providers registered with FMCSA. It requires the Department of Transportation to issue or revise rules within 180 days to implement this English-only requirement across all relevant testing activities.
Separately, the bill prohibits issuing a CDL to someone without at least one year of prior holding a driver’s license, unless the person already holds a CDL as of enactment. Finally, the Secretary would have the authority to revoke a state’s ability to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs if the state fails to meet federal standards including those established by this Act.
Taken together, these provisions push for standardized testing language and tighter controls on licensing, elevating federal oversight and potentially reshaping who can qualify for a CDL. The bill defines non-domiciled CDL and CLP and anchors related regulatory actions to existing federal framework in title 49, including Part 383.
For practitioners, the key questions are how the English-only requirement will be implemented across all testing modes and how the one-year wait interacts with existing licensing pathways in various states. The Act also opens new enforcement pathways for ensuring states comply with federal standards, which could affect state autonomy and intergovernmental coordination in CDL administration.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill requires all CDL testing to be administered only in English, covering entry-level training, knowledge tests, and third‑party providers on the FMCSA registry.
The Secretary must issue or revise implementing regulations within 180 days to enforce English-only testing across CDL processes.
A CDL may not be issued to an individual who has not held a driver’s license for at least one year, subject to a small exemption for those who hold a CDL as of enactment.
The Secretary can revoke a state’s authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs for non‑compliance with federal standards, including this Act.
Non-domiciled CDL/CLP definitions tie to Part 383 of title 49, CFR (or successor regulations).
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Short title
This Act may be cited as the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025.
Definitions
The bill defines a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in line with 49 U.S.C. 31301. It also defines a driver’s license for purposes of the Act, and introduces the terms non-domiciled CDL and non-domiciled CLP, both tied to Part 383 of title 49, CFR (or successor regulations). The Secretary refers to the Secretary of Transportation for purposes of implementing the Act.
English testing requirement
The section amends 49 U.S.C. 31305(a) to add a 7th paragraph obligating tests to be administered only in English. It also requires the Secretary to promulgate new or revised regulations within 180 days to ensure English-only testing for CDL issuance or renewal, including entry-level driver training tests, knowledge tests, and tests administered by third-party training providers listed on the FMCSA registry.
CDL issuance prerequisite
Starting on enactment, a commercial driver’s license may not be issued to an individual who has not held a driver’s license for at least one year prior to the CDL issuance date. An exemption applies to individuals who held a CDL as of the date of enactment.
State compliance and enforcement
The Secretary may revoke a state's authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or non-domiciled CLPs if the state is not in compliance with all applicable federal standards relating to this Act and related regulations.
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Explore Transportation in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- FMCSA and Department of Transportation regulators seeking uniform standards and enforceable compliance
- State DMVs and licensing authorities gaining clearer federal expectations and enforcement mechanisms
- Trucking companies and fleet operators benefiting from a standardized testing language and predictable compliance landscape
- English-proficient CDL applicants who will face a more transparent, uniform testing process
- Third‑party CDL testing providers registered with FMCSA that adjust to a unified testing framework
Who Bears the Cost
- Non-English-speaking applicants facing greater barriers to CDL qualification
- State licensing agencies incurring costs to implement English-only testing and monitor compliance
- Testing vendors that currently offer multilingual options and must adjust to an English-only regime
- Small and mid-size carriers facing transitional costs to align with new testing and regulatory expectations
- Federal agencies (FMCSA/DOT) bearing enforcement and oversight costs to ensure nationwide compliance
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is between achieving uniform, English-language testing to promote safety and standardization, and preserving broad access to CDL opportunities for multilingual and immigrant communities, which could be impeded by a one-year waiting period and English-only requirements.
The Act introduces a significant policy shift by anchoring CDL testing language to English across the board, which could disproportionately affect non-English-speaking populations seeking CDL qualifications. Implementing English-only testing will require substantial regulatory work and potential changes to testing infrastructure, including language support for existing training and testing programs that currently operate with multilingual materials.
The enforcement mechanism—potentially revoking a state's authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs—creates a powerful incentive for states to align with federal standards, but it also raises questions about how to verify compliance across diverse state systems and how exemptions or transitional provisions will operate in practice. The interplay with existing CDL timelines, exemptions, and grandfathering provisions will need to be ironed out through the rulemaking process, and stakeholders will watch closely for unintended consequences in labor markets, safety outcomes, and access to licensing.
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