DHS and FMCSA Target 75 CDL Schools in Fraud Probe
Homeland Security Investigations will work with FMCSA to crack down on schools suspected of issuing fraudulent CDLs to illegal aliens and falsifying training records.
Which CDL schools are under investigation for fraud?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it will partner with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to investigate approximately 75 entry-level driver training schools suspected of fraudulent activities. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will work with FMCSA to identify and address fraud involving the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens. State and local partners will also participate in the effort.
FMCSA has identified the 75 schools as suspects in a pattern of violations that includes improper driver certifications, falsified training records, and failure to properly train drivers applying for commercial driver's licenses. The announcement did not name the schools under investigation or specify which states host them.
What violations are investigators looking for?
Investigators suspect some schools used improper driver certifications, according to the DHS announcement. Some schools allegedly falsified training records. Others failed to properly train drivers applying for commercial driver's licenses. The announcement also referenced "other violations" without specifying what those are.
The focus on non-domiciled CDLs follows a pattern of state enforcement actions over the past year. Ohio revoked 1,200 non-domiciled CDLs and stopped issuing new licenses in June 2026. Idaho ended its non-domiciled CDL program effective July 2, 2026, requiring Idaho residency for all new CDL applicants. Both states acted after FMCSA tightened eligibility rules for non-domiciled CDLs in September 2025, narrowing the list of acceptable immigration documents.
How does this affect carriers hiring new drivers?
Carriers hiring drivers who trained at one of the 75 schools under investigation face potential liability if those drivers hold fraudulent CDLs or lack proper entry-level driver training (ELDT) certification. FMCSA requires all Class A and Class B CDL applicants who apply for their first CDL, upgrade their CDL, or obtain a hazmat or passenger endorsement to complete theory and behind-the-wheel training from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry (TPR).
A driver who holds a CDL issued based on falsified training records does not meet the ELDT requirement. If that driver is involved in a crash or fails a roadside inspection, the carrier's CSA scores take the hit. Worse, the carrier may face negligent-hiring liability if the driver was never properly trained and the carrier failed to verify TPR completion.
Carriers should verify that every new hire's training provider appears on the TPR at the time the driver completed training. FMCSA publishes the registry at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. If a school is removed from the registry after a driver completes training, the driver's ELDT certification remains valid unless FMCSA or the state revokes the CDL. But if the school was never on the registry, or if the driver's training certificate is fraudulent, the CDL itself may be invalid.
What is the Training Provider Registry?
The Training Provider Registry is FMCSA's public list of approved entry-level driver training providers. Schools, community colleges, and private training companies must register with FMCSA and meet minimum curriculum standards to appear on the TPR. The registry went live February 7, 2022, when the ELDT rule took effect.
FMCSA can remove a provider from the TPR if the agency finds the provider falsified records, failed to meet curriculum standards, or engaged in fraudulent activity. Removal from the TPR does not automatically invalidate CDLs issued to drivers who trained at that provider before removal, but it does prevent the provider from certifying new drivers.
Carriers hiring drivers who obtained their CDL after February 7, 2022, must confirm the driver completed ELDT from a TPR-listed provider. The driver's training certificate should include the provider's TPR identification number. Carriers can cross-check that number against the live TPR to confirm the provider was registered at the time of training.
How does this investigation differ from past CDL fraud cases?
This is the second interagency enforcement partnership between DOT and DHS in 2026. DOT recently partnered with DHS Border Patrol agents to enforce federal cabotage laws, which prohibit foreign carriers from hauling domestic freight. The CDL school investigation marks the first time HSI and FMCSA have jointly targeted training providers.
Previous CDL fraud enforcement focused on individual drivers or state DMV employees. In June 2026, Border Patrol arrested 36 truck drivers in Arizona in an immigration sweep. Twenty-nine of those drivers held valid CDLs from California, New York, or Ohio. The arrests raised questions about how those drivers obtained CDLs if they lacked legal immigration status, but the investigation did not target the training schools.
The current investigation shifts enforcement upstream to the schools themselves. By targeting the 75 suspected providers, FMCSA and HSI aim to cut off the supply of fraudulent CDLs before drivers enter the workforce.
What happens to drivers who trained at a school under investigation?
The announcement does not specify whether FMCSA or state DMVs will revoke CDLs issued to drivers who trained at the 75 schools. That decision will depend on what investigators find. If a school falsified a driver's training records but the driver actually completed the required hours, the CDL may remain valid. If the driver never completed training, or if the school issued a certificate to a driver who was ineligible for a non-domiciled CDL, the state may revoke the license.
Drivers who hold a CDL issued based on training from one of the 75 schools should expect scrutiny during roadside inspections and DOT audits. Inspectors may ask for proof of ELDT completion, including the training certificate and TPR confirmation. Drivers who cannot produce that documentation risk an out-of-service order.
Carriers employing drivers who trained at a suspect school should pull the driver's training certificate and verify the provider's TPR status now, before an inspection or audit forces the issue. If the provider is not on the TPR, or if the certificate appears fraudulent, the carrier should consult legal counsel before allowing the driver to operate a CMV.
What compliance steps should carriers take this week?
Carriers should audit their driver qualification files for every driver hired after February 7, 2022. Pull the ELDT training certificate for each driver. Verify the training provider appears on the TPR at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. If the provider is not listed, or if the certificate lacks a TPR identification number, contact the driver and request proof of training.
Carriers should also review their hiring process to ensure new applicants provide a valid ELDT certificate before starting work. FMCSA does not require carriers to keep a copy of the certificate in the driver qualification file, but keeping one simplifies audit prep. If a state revokes a driver's CDL based on fraudulent training, the carrier needs documentation showing it verified ELDT completion at the time of hire.
Finally, carriers should watch for FMCSA announcements naming the 75 schools under investigation. Once FMCSA publishes the list, carriers can cross-check their driver files against it. If a current driver trained at one of the named schools, the carrier should verify the driver's CDL remains valid with the issuing state before the next dispatch.
