TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is implementing strict new regulations regarding highway safety and commercial transit, mandating that all driver’s license exams be conducted exclusively in English and advancing legislation to heavily penalize undocumented immigrants operating commercial trucks.
English-Only Testing Policy The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced a major policy shift requiring all knowledge and skills examinations for commercial and non-commercial driver’s licenses to be administered solely in English.
Previous Rules: Prior to this change, non-commercial knowledge exams were offered in multiple languages, while commercial driver’s license (CDL) and learner’s permit tests were available in English and Spanish.
New Restrictions: The updated statewide policy eliminates all non-English testing materials and expressly prohibits the use of interpreters or translation services during oral, written, and skills-based exams.
Stated Rationale: FLHSMV officials stated the change is intended to improve road safety by ensuring all drivers have a consistent, verifiable understanding of traffic laws and road signage.
The move has drawn support from industry advocates who emphasize federal English proficiency requirements. James Lamb, executive director of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), praised the policy as a long-overdue enforcement measure, noting that the Trump administration recently reinstated strict out-of-service penalties for commercial truckers found violating federal English proficiency rules.
Senate Passes SB 86 Targeting Undocumented CDL Drivers In tandem with the administrative changes, the Florida Senate voted 29–5 along party lines to pass Senate Bill 86, a measure explicitly prohibiting undocumented immigrants from operating commercial motor vehicles within the state.
Under the proposed legislation, if an undocumented immigrant is found driving a commercial truck:
Driver Penalties: Law enforcement must detain the driver and transfer custody to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal immigration authorities.
Vehicle Penalties: The commercial vehicle will be immediately impounded.
Corporate Penalties: The business or motor carrier that owns, leases, or operates the truck will face a $50,000 civil fine payable to the FLHSMV, in addition to all impoundment costs. Furthermore, the associated motor carrier would be permanently banned from doing business in Florida.
The Catalyst: Fatal 2025 Turnpike Crash State Senator Don Gaetz (R-Pensacola), the bill’s sponsor, stated that the legislation was a direct response to a fatal collision on the Florida Turnpike in August 2025.
In that incident, Harjinder Singh, an undocumented immigrant driving an 18-wheeler, allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn, causing a crash that killed three people. Singh currently faces multiple counts of vehicular homicide and manslaughter. According to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Singh had failed a CDL knowledge exam 10 times in Washington state over a two-month period before Washington and California ultimately issued him commercial licenses. Sen. Gaetz also cited a similar fatal crash in Southern California last September to underscore the need for state-level intervention.
Senate Bill 86 has been sent to the Florida House of Representatives for consideration. If approved by the House and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, the measure will take effect on July 1, 2026.