The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) announced on Apr. 13 that it has been recertified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to resume issuing non-domiciled commercial driver licenses (CDLs).
This development follows a temporary pause in services that began in December 2025, after a federal audit required states to meet stricter standards for issuing these licenses. The ability to issue non-domiciled CDLs is significant for individuals with certain immigration statuses who need credentials to operate commercial vehicles.
During the pause, NDDOT carried out an internal review covering procedures, programming, training, and quality assurance measures. FMCSA has now approved the corrective actions taken by NDDOT and authorized the agency to restart new, renewed, transferred, or upgraded non-domiciled CDL transactions. Applicants must complete all transactions in person and provide necessary documentation such as an unexpired foreign passport and valid immigration documents. Eligibility is limited to those with H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 nonimmigrant statuses and credentials are valid for up to one year.
Robin Rehborg, NDDOT Deputy Director for Driver Safety said: “We are very pleased to receive our recertification from FMCSA and resume this important service. Thank you to the dedicated team whose hard work made this possible.”
The North Dakota Department of Transportation manages eight district offices across the state for roadway maintenance, construction oversight, and administrative services according to the official website. The department aims to facilitate safe transport of people and goods while advancing travel safety and economic progress according to its official website. Executive leadership includes a director and deputy directors overseeing engineering, administration, planning, and driver services per its official site.
NDDOT provides vehicle registration services as well as upkeep of more than 8,500 miles of roadways and nearly 4,900 bridges according to its official website. As a state agency responsible for developing and maintaining North Dakota’s surface transportation system according to its official site, NDDOT encourages customers seeking CDL-related services to schedule appointments online at dot.nd.gov.
