INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana is moving ahead with stricter rules on commercial driver’s licenses, with enforcement beginning Wednesday and some drivers already being taken off the road.
The new law, signed by Governor Mike Braun as House Enrolled Act 1200, ties CDL eligibility more closely to both residency status and English language ability. It’s a step that puts Indiana out in front of many other states on the issue.
State officials started sending notices in mid-March to roughly 2,000 non-domiciled CDL holders, informing them their licenses would be revoked. Under the law, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles is required to act 15 days after those notices are mailed – putting April 1 as the effective date for many of the revocations.
That timeline, according to industry officials, is already playing out.
Gary Langston, president of the Indiana Motor Truck Association, said the list of affected drivers came directly from state records. But not everyone who received a letter will necessarily lose eligibility.
“It’s possible some of those individuals have since become domiciled,” Langston said. “If that’s the case, they may still qualify. And the law does allow for reapplication.”
The measure includes exemptions for certain visa holders, including H-2A, H-2B and E-2 categories. Still, drivers who fall outside those exemptions and do not meet domicile requirements will need to seek new credentials.
At the center of the law is a renewed focus on English language proficiency. CDL holders are expected to be able to communicate with the public, understand traffic signs, respond to officials and complete basic written records.
There’s also a testing change coming. Beginning May 2, CDL exams in Indiana will be administered only in English or American Sign Language, eliminating the use of interpreters.
Supporters say the changes address a long-standing issue in the industry.
“This has been a problem for a long time,” Langston said. “It should have been addressed earlier, but at least now it’s being dealt with.”
The penalties are significant. Drivers operating without a valid CDL can face fines of $5,000, while companies that knowingly employ them risk penalties of up to $50,000.
Still, enforcement may not be immediate in every case. Drivers who continue operating without valid credentials would need to be stopped and cited.
“If they choose not to stop driving, they’re going to have to get caught,” Langston said.
Indiana’s move comes as federal regulators, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, step up scrutiny on English proficiency and broader compliance issues across the trucking sector.
Langston said other states are looking at similar measures, though Indiana has moved more quickly in part because its 2026 legislative session has already wrapped up. Iowa, for example, has begun advancing its own version of an English proficiency requirement.
Despite the scope of the changes, the legislation saw little resistance as it moved through the statehouse, with only limited opposition recorded.
What remains unclear is how much impact the rule will have on the driver workforce. While supporters point to safety improvements, others warn it could add pressure to an already tight labor market.
For now, though, the law is in effect – and its immediate consequences are already being felt.
