Supreme Court Rejects Florida Lawsuit Over Out-of-State CDLs for Immigrants

Can states sue each other over CDL issuance to undocumented immigrants?

The U.S. Supreme Court on May 26, 2026, rejected Florida's attempt to sue California and Washington over the issuance of commercial driver licenses to immigrants not legally authorized to be in the United States. The court declined to take up the lawsuit as an original action between states, a rare legal procedure that bypasses lower federal courts. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, arguing the court is obligated to hear disputes between states.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed the lawsuit in October 2025 after a fatal crash on Florida's Turnpike in August 2025. The crash involved Harjinder Singh, a truck driver from India accused of making an illegal U-turn that caused a wreck killing three people. Singh reportedly held a valid CDL issued by California and had previously been licensed in Washington state.

What Florida argued

Florida's lawsuit alleged California and Washington violated federal safety and immigration laws by issuing CDLs to undocumented immigrants. The complaint stated the two states "chose to ignore these standards and authorize illegal immigrants without proper training or the ability to read road signs to drive commercial motor vehicles."

Florida sought an injunction barring California and Washington from issuing commercial learner permits (CLPs) and CDLs to applicants who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The state argued the two West Coast states were failing to verify the immigration status of license applicants.

Federal CDL standards and state enforcement

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations require states to meet minimum CDL testing and issuance standards under 49 CFR Part 383. States must verify an applicant's identity and residency, administer knowledge and skills tests, and check the Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) to ensure the applicant does not hold a license in another state.

Federal law does not explicitly prohibit states from issuing CDLs to undocumented immigrants. Some states, including California and Washington, have enacted laws allowing undocumented residents to obtain driver licenses, including commercial licenses, under state-specific programs. These programs typically require proof of state residency and passage of the same knowledge and skills tests required of all CDL applicants.

Motor carriers are responsible for verifying that every driver holds a valid CDL for the class of vehicle operated, regardless of the issuing state. Carriers must pull a motor vehicle record (MVR) from the state of licensure at least once every 12 months under 49 CFR 391.25. A driver holding a valid CDL issued by any U.S. state meets the federal licensing requirement, provided the license is not suspended, revoked, or disqualified.

What the ruling means for carriers

The Supreme Court's decision leaves existing state CDL issuance policies in place. Carriers hiring drivers licensed in California, Washington, or other states with similar programs face no immediate change in federal compliance obligations.

Carriers must continue to verify that every driver holds a valid, non-expired CDL appropriate to the vehicle class and endorsements required. The annual MVR check remains the primary tool for confirming license status. A license suspended or revoked after hire may not appear in carrier records until the next annual pull, a gap that annual MVR checks leave carriers blind to suspended licenses for 11 months.

Carriers operating in multiple states should monitor state-level CDL policy changes. Florida's lawsuit, though rejected by the Supreme Court, signals ongoing political tension over immigration enforcement and commercial vehicle safety. State legislatures may introduce new CDL eligibility requirements or verification mandates that affect hiring and compliance workflows.

The broader CDL policy landscape

The Florida lawsuit became part of a broader political fight between Republican-led states and Democratic-led states over immigration enforcement and commercial vehicle safety. The dispute does not directly affect FMCSA's ongoing rulemaking on non-domiciled CDLs, a separate issue involving drivers who hold CDLs in states where they do not reside. That rule faces its own legal challenge, with briefing scheduled to begin June 15, 2026, and oral arguments expected in September, as covered in Court Denies Stay of Non-Domiciled CDL Rule.

The Supreme Court's decision does not resolve whether federal law preempts state CDL issuance policies tied to immigration status. It only declines to hear the case as an original action between states. Florida or other states could pursue similar challenges through lower federal courts, though no such cases have been filed as of May 26, 2026.

What small fleets should do this week

Pull the MVR for every driver on your roster. Verify the CDL is valid, not expired, and matches the vehicle class and endorsements the driver operates. If you hire drivers licensed in California or Washington, the same federal verification rules apply as for any other state.

Document your MVR review process. FMCSA audits check whether carriers pulled MVRs within the past 12 months and whether the carrier took action on suspended or disqualified licenses. A driver qualification file missing an annual MVR is a violation under 49 CFR 391.25, regardless of the driver's immigration status or state of licensure.

If you operate in Florida and hire drivers from out of state, monitor state legislative activity. Florida's lawsuit may signal future state-level CDL eligibility rules that affect interstate hiring. No such rules are in effect as of May 26, 2026, but carriers should track state DOT announcements and consult legal counsel if new requirements appear.