FMCSA Grants Five-Year Fmcsa Fas Citizens Cdl Exemption
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration approved the fmcsa fas citizens cdl exemption on May 13, 2026, letting state licensing agencies issue non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to eligible citizens of the Freely Associated States. The five-year exemption applies to people from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau who live in the United States and carry the required documents.
May 13, 2026 Decision
Eligible applicants must have a valid, unexpired passport issued by a Freely Associated State and a Form I-94 or I-94A. FMCSA said the exemption covers all State Driver’s Licensing Agencies, not just one state, and it rejected Hawaii’s request to issue standard commercial driver’s licenses and commercial learner’s permits to Freely Associated States citizens.
Hawaii had applied in 2024 for a limited exemption from CDL rules concerning acceptable proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency for Freely Associated States citizens who live in Hawaii and want a CDL. The federal agency instead said the exemption would allow states to issue non-domiciled CDLs under its existing framework.
FMCSA Non-Domiciled Rule
FMCSA said the exemption fits with Congressional intent to allow Freely Associated States citizens to live and work in the United States as lawful non-immigrants. The agency also said it had no data showing the exemption would hurt safety.
At the same time, FMCSA said its March 2026 final rule was meant to clean up the non-domiciled CDL system and ensure that only legal, safe and vetted individuals were issued licenses to operate commercial motor vehicles. It said it would be inconsistent with that rule to let state agencies issue standard commercial learner’s permits and CDLs to people who are not domiciled in the United States.
Oregon Exemption Superseded
The new approval also supersedes an earlier exemption granted to the Oregon Department of Transportation. That prior exemption let Oregon issue standard CDLs, rather than non-domiciled CDLs, to Freely Associated States citizens.
The notice was scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, May 14, placing the agency’s decision into the record while states adjust how eligible drivers from the three Freely Associated States can apply for commercial credentials under the five-year exemption.
