AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that all commercial driver license tests, including commercial learner permit exams, will be administered in English only starting June 1, 2026. Applicants scheduled for tests on or after that date must take the exam in English, and interpreters will not be permitted during the testing process.
Previously, CDL knowledge tests in Texas were offered in both English and Spanish. The skills portion of the exam—including pre-trip inspection, basic control, and the road test—has always been conducted in English. The change aligns Texas testing requirements with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) English language proficiency standards.
Drivers who do not meet federal English proficiency standards will be placed out of service. The Texas Department of Public Safety and other commercial vehicle inspectors will continue conducting English proficiency checks during routine stops and at weigh stations statewide.
The policy shift follows a September directive from Governor Greg Abbott instructing the Department of Public Safety to strictly enforce federal English requirements and conduct English Language Proficiency reviews for all commercial license operators. It also follows broader federal actions, including a March 16 FMCSA rule restricting CDL eligibility for certain non-U.S. citizens and a 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump reinforcing English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a May 2025 op-ed, defended the language requirement, stating, "The issue is simple: We’re not putting up signs in any other language than English. We’re requiring drivers speak and read English as a bare minimum requirement." Study materials, including the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver’s Handbook, remain available free on the DPS website.