The Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently Act of 2025 (LICENSE Act of 2025) would direct the Secretary of Transportation, through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), to revise two key CDL testing regulations within 90 days of enactment. Specifically, it would tighten requirements for who can administer the CDL knowledge test by mandating that examiners (state or third-party) hold a valid CDL test examiner certification, complete an exam training course, and finish an additional unit of instruction. At the same time, it would authorize states to administer the CDL driving skills test to any applicant, regardless of the applicant’s state of domicile or where they received driver training. The overarching goal appears to be expanding the pool of qualified examiners and speeding up testing while maintaining safety standards through required training and certification.
Key Points
- 1Timeframe for action: The Secretary of Transportation must revise the relevant regulations within 90 days after enactment.
- 2Knowledge test examiner requirements: A state or third-party examiner may administer the CDL knowledge test only if the examiner has (a) a valid CDL test examiner certification, (b) completed a required examiner training course, and (c) completed one unit of instruction described in the regulation.
- 3Driving skills test flexibility: A state can administer the CDL driving skills test to any CDL applicant, regardless of the applicant’s domicile or where the applicant received driver training.
- 4Regulatory authority: Changes to be made under the authority of the Secretary of Transportation, via the FMCSA.
- 5Policy aim: To improve efficiency and access to CDL testing by expanding examiner participation while maintaining standardized training requirements.