republic-os/legal/us/code/title-49/chapter-313/section-31308.md

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LegalText	49 U.S.C. § 31308	Commercial driver’s license	us	united_states_code	code_section	49	TRANSPORTATION	313	COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS	31308	49 U.S.C. § 31308	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc49@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t49/s31308	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-49/usc49.xml	679a057650d4a1ad3cce3b06259a862b14c1fe3fb1c531a3f8d22c95793d49c5	0786acdd244d8f42c5a8e8ed1ec2a8dcb47dd0e02a286752710a20745702a4fb	669e766e4a066cdcf89b2ca9287aa63f1532b78642eca6975ed35ef9aa1b3440	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

49 U.S.C. § 31308 - Commercial driver’s license

Text

After consultation with the States, the Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe regulations on minimum uniform standards for the issuance of commercial drivers’ licenses and learner’s permits by the States and for information to be contained on each of the licenses and permits. The standards shall require at a minimum that—

(1) an individual issued a commercial driver’s license—

(A) pass written and driving tests for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle that comply with the minimum standards prescribed by the Secretary under section 31305(a); and

(B) present certification of completion of driver training that meets the requirements established by the Secretary under section 31305(c);

(2) before a commercial driver’s license learner’s permit may be issued to an individual, the individual must pass a written test, that complies with the minimum standards prescribed by the Secretary under section 31305(a), on the operation of the commercial motor vehicle that the individual will be operating under the permit;

(3) the license or learner’s permit be tamperproof to the maximum extent practicable and each license or learner’s permit issued after January 1, 2001, include unique identifiers (which may include biometric identifiers) to minimize fraud and duplication; and

(4) the license or learner’s permit contain—

(A) the name and address of the individual issued the license or learner’s permit and a physical description of the individual;

(B) the social security account number or other number or information the Secretary decides is appropriate to identify the individual;

(C) the class or type of commercial motor vehicle the individual is authorized to operate under the license or learner’s permit;

(D) the name of the State that issued the license or learner’s permit; and

(E) the dates between which the license or learner’s permit is valid.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1020; Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4011(c)(1), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 407; Pub. L. 109–59, title IV, § 4122(2), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1734; Pub. L. 110–244, title III, § 301(g), June 6, 2008, 122 Stat. 1616; Pub. L. 112–141, div. C, title II, § 32304(b), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 791.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3130849 App.:2705.Oct. 27, 1986, Pub. L. 99–570, § 12006, 100 Stat. 3207–175. The words “Not later than July 15, 1988” are omitted as obsolete.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2012—Par. (1). Pub. L. 112–141 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “an individual issued a commercial driver’s license pass written and driving tests for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle that comply with the minimum standards prescribed by the Secretary under section 31305(a) of this title;”. 2008—Pub. L. 110–244 amended Pub. L. 109–59, § 4122(2)(A). See 2005 Amendment note below. 2005—Pub. L. 109–59, § 4122(2)(B), substituted “the licenses and permits” for “the licenses” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 109–59, § 4122(2)(A), as amended by Pub. L. 110–244, inserted “and learner’s permits” after “licenses” in introductory provisions. Par. (2). Pub. L. 109–59, § 4122(2)(D), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3). Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 109–59, § 4122(2)(C), (E), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively, and inserted “or learner’s permit” after “license” wherever appearing. 1998—Par. (2). Pub. L. 105–178 inserted before semicolon “and each license issued after January 1, 2001, include unique identifiers (which may include biometric identifiers) to minimize fraud and duplication”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2012 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 112–141 effective Oct. 1, 2012, see section 3(a) of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment note under section 101 of Title 23, Highways.

Effective Date of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–244 effective as of the date of enactment of Pub. L. 109–59 (Aug. 10, 2005) and to be treated as included in Pub. L. 109–59 as of that date, and provisions of Pub. L. 109–59, as in effect on the day before June 6, 2008, that are amended by Pub. L. 110–244 to be treated as not enacted, see section 121(b) of Pub. L. 110–244, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 23, Highways.

Deadline for Issuance of RegulationsPub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4011(c)(2), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 407, provided that: “Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [June 9, 1998], the Secretary [of Transportation] shall issue regulations to carry out the amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section].”

Commercial Learner’s Permit for Individuals Under Age 18Pub. L. 114–113, div. L, title I, § 132, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2850, provided that: “None of the funds limited or otherwise made available under this Act, or any other Act, hereafter, shall be used by the Secretary to enforce any regulation prohibiting a State from issuing a commercial learner’s permit to individuals under the age of eighteen if the State had a law authorizing the issuance of commercial learner’s permits to individuals under eighteen years of age as of May 9, 2011.”