Federal rule limits SC commercial driver’s licenses to lawful non-citizens

Two Richland County residents have been charged with six counts of vehicle fraud, including title forgery. (CREDIT: SCDMV)

(WPDE) — The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) will only issue commercial driver’s licenses or commercial learner’s permits to U.S. citizens or “green card” permanent residents due to a federal ruling.

The change began on Monday as SCDMV had to comply quickly with the new federal interim final rule.

The rule restricts who can get a commercial driver’s license from a State driver’s License Authority. It also impacts the duration of the license issued to lawfully present non-U.S. citizens.

What is changing for SC residents?

The SCDMV will only issue a driver’s license to non-citizens who present proper documentation that proves their lawful presence.

Those who currently have a commercial driver’s license will not have their privileges removed due to the new ruling until the next issuance or renewal.

The new rules only affect commercial driver’s licenses, and do not impact state-issued non-commercial driver’s licenses.

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles has been prudent when issuing commercial licenses to non US citizens, and that is being reinforced by our actions in complying with this new interim final rule,” said Kevin Shwedo, executive director of SCDMV. “We take seriously our mission to meet all state and federal requirements for the licenses we issue to drivers in South Carolina.

There is adequate freight hauling capacity presently, particularly considering the state of the economy and soft freight demand. This is a good time to evaluate new entrants and the regulatory state’s capabilities and resources.” Said Rick Todd, CEO of the S.C. Trucking Association. “We appreciate the working relationships we have established with both the DMV and the State Transport Police.