RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) says it is reviewing all commercial driver’s licenses issued to non-U.S. citizens to ensure those credentials comply with federal requirements for “non-domiciled” CDLs.

State officials said the review follows a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) audit that examined 50 of roughly 924 active non-domiciled CDLs in North Carolina last August and found 27 were issued improperly. The most common issue cited was license expiration dates extending beyond the period the driver was legally allowed to remain in the United States.

What the DMV says it’s doing now

• Stopped issuing non-domiciled CDLs and commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) on Jan. 9, and says it will not resume until FMCSA grants permission.

• Started a full review of all commercial licenses and permits held by non-citizens to identify any records that do not meet federal rules.

• For any records found to be noncompliant, NCDMV says it will send a notice of cancellation giving the driver 20 days before the credential is canceled.

NCDMV estimates the review will take four to five months.

Status of the 27 licenses flagged in the audit

According to NCDMV:

• 24 drivers have been notified that their CDLs are being canceled

• 1 license had already been canceled

• 1 driver has left the state

• 1 license was reissued in late December under federal guidelines

DMV says policy gaps and training issues contributed

NCDMV said it identified shortcomings during the audit, including policies that did not clearly spell out that non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs should not be valid longer than the individual’s authorized stay, along with training gaps for examiners. The agency also cited older internal systems and back-office reviews that did not catch errors. NCDMV says it updated policies, practices, and training in December to prevent the same issues moving forward.

State officials noted that non-domiciled CDLs make up a small share of North Carolina’s roughly 325,000 active CDLs, but emphasized that consistent licensing standards matter because commercial drivers operate across state lines. The North Carolina Trucking Association urged carriers to verify whether they employ non-domiciled drivers and to monitor license status to ensure credentials meet federal standards.

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