Overview
- The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that all commercial driver license and commercial learner’s permit knowledge tests will be offered only in English, removing the Spanish option.
- The DPS, which announced the change Monday, June 1, 2026, also restored CDL eligibility for H-2A temporary agricultural workers while leaving decisions on other visa categories for later.
- Texas officials say the move implements altered Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidance and follows a September order from the governor to enforce English proficiency for commercial drivers.
- The hands-on CDL skills test has long been conducted in English with interpreters barred and applicants required to follow verbal instructions from examiners.
- The change comes as the attorney general investigates several trucking schools for alleged test rule violations and as industry groups and some county officials warn it could worsen driver shortages and affect supply chains.