The Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025 would require all testing relating to the issuance or renewal of a commercial driver’s license to be conducted only in English. It also creates a one-year licensure prerequisite before a CDL may be issued, with an exemption for those who already hold a CDL at enactment, and gives the Secretary authority to revoke a state's authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs for noncompliance.
The bill defines key terms and lays out the rulemaking path to implement these changes, including tests administered by third-party providers on the FMCSA registry.
Taken together, the measure standardizes testing language at the federal level, strengthens enforcement leverage, and raises the bar for states and providers to demonstrate compliance. It also raises potential barriers for applicants who are not fluent in English, and it shifts some regulatory risk and responsibility to the states that issue CDLs and CLPs.
At a Glance
What It Does
Amends 49 USC 31305(a) to require CDL tests to be administered only in English and directs the Secretary to issue regulations within 180 days to implement English-only testing across entry-level training, knowledge tests, and tests administered by third-party providers on the FMCSA registry.
Who It Affects
State driver licensing agencies, third-party testing providers registered with FMCSA, FMCSA and USDOT regulators, and individuals seeking a CDL or CLP.
Why It Matters
Creates a uniform national testing language and enforcement framework, enabling clearer compliance standards and risk-based enforcement while potentially narrowing access for non-English speakers.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill takes a single, clear step: all CDL-related testing must be conducted in English. It defines what counts as a CDL and clarifies what a non-domiciled CDL or CLP is, tying these definitions to existing federal regulations.
It then directs the Secretary to issue new or revised regulations within six months to ensure English-only testing applies to all CDL tests, including entry-level driver training, knowledge tests, and tests offered by third-party providers on the FMCSA registry.
In addition to the language requirement, the bill adds a licensing gate: beginning on enactment, a commercial driver’s license may not be issued unless the applicant has held a driver’s license for at least one year, with an exception for those who already hold a CDL as of that date. Finally, the Secretary gains authority to revoke a state’s ability to issue non-domiciled CDLs or non-domiciled CLPs if the state fails to comply with federal standards related to this act.
Taken together, these provisions aim to standardize testing language nationwide and tighten federal oversight over licensing authority, while creating new implementation and compliance challenges for states, testing providers, and applicants alike.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The tests for CDL issuance and renewal must be administered only in English.
The Secretary must promulgate or revise regulations within 180 days to implement English-only testing.
A CDL may not be issued to an individual who has not held a driver’s license for at least one year, with an exemption for those already holding a CDL on enactment.
States can have their authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or CLPs revoked if they do not comply with federal standards under this Act.
Definitions establish what counts as a CDL, a non-domiciled CDL, and a non-domiciled CLP, and tie these to title 49 regulations.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Definitions for CDL, non-domiciled licenses, and Secretary
Section 2 codifies key terms used throughout the act. It defines the commercial driver’s license and driver’s license in relation to title 49, United States Code, and introduces non-domiciled CDL and non-domiciled CLP definitions. It also clarifies that the Secretary referred to in the act is the Secretary of Transportation. These definitions set the scope for which licenses and tests fall under the English-only requirement and federal oversight.
English-language testing requirement and rulemaking
Section 3(a) amends the relevant section of title 49 to insert the required English-only testing standard. Section 3(b) directs the Secretary to promulgate new or revised regulations within 180 days to ensure that testing related to the issuance or renewal of a CDL—covering entry-level training tests, knowledge tests, and tests administered by third-party providers in the FMCSA registry—are conducted exclusively in English.
One-year licensure prerequisite before CDL
Section 4 imposes a specific gate: a commercial driver’s license may not be issued until the applicant has held a driver’s license for at least one year, subject to a narrow exemption for individuals who already hold a CDL as of enactment. This provision adds a temporal filter intended to ensure baseline driving experience before CDL issuance.
Revocation authority for non-compliant jurisdictions
Section 5 authorizes the Secretary to revoke the authority of any state or other jurisdiction to issue non-domiciled CDLs or non-domiciled CLPs if the jurisdiction fails to comply with applicable federal standards, including those imposed by this Act and resulting regulations. The mechanism creates a potential enforcement lever to compel uniform compliance across states.
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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 the Department of Transportation gain a clear, enforceable nationwide standard for CDL testing and a centralized enforcement mechanism.
- State driver licensing agencies gain a uniform framework and federal oversight that simplifies cross-state consistency in CDL testing and licensure.
- Interstate trucking fleets and carriers benefit from standardized credentialing processes, reducing variability in how licenses are issued and verified across jurisdictions.
- Safety regulators and policy implementers gain clearer reporting and enforcement pathways to ensure testing aligns with federal standards.
Who Bears the Cost
- States bear upfront costs to implement and verify English-only testing, update IT and translation-consensus processes, and administer potential changes to testing staff and infrastructure.
- Third-party CDL testing providers registered with FMCSA must ensure all testing is administered in English, which may require staffing adjustments and system updates.
- Applicants who do not possess strong English proficiency may encounter barriers to CDL eligibility, potentially affecting mobility and employment prospects in regulated trucking.
- Federal and state regulators incur administrative and rulemaking costs to issue and enforce the new English-only testing framework and related compliance activities.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
A universal English-language testing standard supports safety and uniformity but risks restricting access for non-English speakers and those with limited English proficiency, creating a trade-off between national standards and equitable mobility. The central question is whether federal enforcement can achieve safety goals without unduly constraining individual and state licensing flexibility.
The bill’s English-only testing standard creates a clear safety-oriented objective—reducing testing variability and ensuring a common language for credentialing. However, it raises implementation challenges, including how to train and credential a broad network of testing providers to operate exclusively in English and how to assess and address English-language barriers that may limit access for some prospective drivers.
The act also imposes a new one-year licensure prerequisite, which could slow the pipeline of new CDL holders and alter labor supply in the trucking sector. Finally, the enforcement mechanism giving the Secretary authority to revoke a state’s non-domiciled licensing authority depends on robust federal-state coordination and timely compliance, raising questions about transitional periods, exemptions, and the handling of existing non-domiciled licenses.
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