{"id":3299,"date":"2026-06-02T17:30:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=3299"},"modified":"2026-06-02T17:30:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:30:58","slug":"texas-mandates-english-only-cdl-tests-resumes-licensing-for-seasonal-farm-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=3299","title":{"rendered":"Texas mandates English-only CDL tests, resumes licensing for seasonal farm workers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Trucks travel across the World Trade International Bridge in Laredo, Texas, U.S., on Monday, June 10, 2019. Photographer: Callaghan O’Hare\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/span> <\/p>

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The Texas Department of Public Safety on Monday rolled out major structural changes to its commercial driver licensing system, announcing the resumption of temporary worker credentials alongside a strict new mandate requiring all written exams to be taken exclusively in English.<\/p>

Both policies went into effect June 1.<\/p>

Temporary agricultural workers<\/h2>
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The state announced it has received federal approval to resume issuing non-domiciled commercial driver licenses (CDL) and commercial learner permits (CLP) to foreign agricultural workers under the H-2A visa program. The resumption follows an update to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines that took effect March 16.<\/p>

While federal rules permit non-domiciled credentials for H-2A agricultural workers, H-2B non-agricultural workers, and E-2 treaty investors, Texas officials noted that the state is currently authorized to process transactions only for H-2A applicants. Licensing for H-2B and E-2 visa holders remains paused until a later date.<\/p>

What’s next:<\/p>

Eligible H-2A applicants must apply in person at a DPS Driver License Office and present an unexpired foreign passport, a valid or expired visa, and a Form I-94 or I-797A confirming their status. Under federal law, these credentials will be limited to a maximum term of one year or less.<\/p>

The policy shift also solidifies permanent federal exclusions for other foreign nationals. Individuals who previously held commercial licenses using Employment Authorization Documents, including DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and refugees or asylum seekers, are no longer permitted to renew their credentials once they expire.<\/p>

Simultaneously, DPS eliminated all Spanish-language testing options for commercial drivers, mandating that all CDL and CLP knowledge examinations be administered in English only.<\/p>

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