AL SB242

Commercial motor vehicle operators with foreign-issued commercial driver licenses must possess additional U.S. entry documents required under 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(b)(4); operating without these documents is a Class D felony with fines of $1,000 for drivers and $2,000 for carriers, plus potential vehicle impoundment.

Presenting a false foreign commercial driver license is a Class D felony, applying to anyone who knowingly makes, presents, or uses a fraudulent document while representing it as a valid foreign CDL.

Commercial vehicle operators must demonstrate English language proficiency per federal requirements (49 C.F.R. § 391.11); first violations carry fines up to $1,000 for operators and $2,000 for carriers, with second offenses doubling to $2,000 and $4,000 respectively.

Canadian provinces and territories are removed from the list of jurisdictions whose CDLs are automatically recognized; foreign CDL holders must now have licenses from countries with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration waivers plus required entry documents.

Effective date is October 1, 2026.