Texas Resumes Commercial Licenses for Certain Foreign Workers Under New Federal Rules

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has restarted issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDL) and commercial learner permits (CLP) to foreign nationals who meet certain criteria. This move follows the implementation of new federal guidelines.

For now, Texas is only processing applications for a specific group of temporary employees: those with H-2A status, designated for temporary agricultural workers. The state's announcement confirms that the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs resumed on June 1.

While federal rules also permit eligibility for H-2B visa holders and E-2 investors, Texas authorities indicated that the resumption for these groups will be announced at a later date. The state had previously halted the issuance of these licenses on March 16, coinciding with the enforcement of new federal regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) designed to "restore integrity" to the process.

Eligible H-2A applicants must apply in person at a DPS licensing office. They need to present any previously issued license or identification, pay a $121 fee, and provide their Social Security number, which will be electronically verified. According to federal guidelines, all non-resident licenses will have a maximum validity of one year or less. The state had also previously eliminated the option to take the written test in Spanish, requiring it to be conducted solely in English.