SB442: SB442 Drivers' Licenses; revocation and expiration of commercial drivers' licenses for noncitizens; provide

This bill changes several parts of Georgia's motor vehicle code (Title 40). It repeals Code Section 40-1-118, which let the Department of Public Safety set rates, fares, and charges for companies that move household goods, though it keeps a related nondiscrimination rule in Code Section 40-1-119. The bill also creates specific rules for commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) held by noncitizens. Except for lawful permanent residents and certain H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa holders, a noncitizen's CDL would automatically be revoked when the person's visa expires or after five years, whichever comes first. CDL expiration dates for noncitizens would follow this same visa-based timeline instead of the standard eight-year cycle. Noncitizens transferring a CDL from another state or country into Georgia would have to pass Georgia's knowledge and skills driving test first. A related section of Title 50 dealing with secure identification documents is updated to match these changes.

• Repeals Code Section 40-1-118, ending the Department of Public Safety's authority to set rates, fares, and charges for household goods moving companies.
• Automatically revokes a noncitizen's commercial driver's license when their visa expires or after five years, whichever happens first, with exceptions for lawful permanent residents and H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa holders.
• Changes the expiration date of a commercial driver's license issued to a noncitizen so it follows the visa-based timeline in Code Section 40-5-21.1 instead of the standard eight-year renewal cycle.
• Requires a noncitizen transferring a commercial driver's license from another state or country into Georgia to pass the state's knowledge and skills driving test.
• Requires commercial driver's license renewal applicants who want to keep a hazardous materials endorsement to take and pass the written hazardous materials test.
• Updates a cross-reference in Georgia's secure and verifiable identity document law (O.C.G.A. § 50-36-2) to match the renumbered noncitizen license provisions.

Noncitizen commercial truck drivers and CDL holders, household goods moving companies previously subject to state rate regulation, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Driver Services, and state agencies that check secure identification documents under Georgia law.

Noncitizen commercial drivers, including many long-haul truckers, would face shorter and visa-tied license validity periods and could lose their license automatically when a visa expires. Moving companies would no longer be subject to state-set rate regulation for household goods transport.

• Section 1 repeals Code Section 40-1-118 in its entirety, removing the Department of Public Safety's power to set rates for household goods carriers, and marks the section as reserved.
• Section 2 rewrites Code Section 40-1-119 to keep the rule against unjust rate discrimination by motor carriers while removing references to the repealed rate-setting authority.
• Section 3 amends Code Section 40-5-21.1 so that, except for lawful permanent residents and H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa holders, a noncitizen's commercial driver's license is automatically revoked when their visa expires or after five years, whichever comes first.
• Section 4 amends Code Section 40-5-32 so a noncitizen's commercial driver's license expires according to the new visa-based rule in Code Section 40-5-21.1 rather than the standard eight-year cycle.
• Section 5 adds a new subsection (j) to Code Section 40-5-150 requiring noncitizens transferring a commercial driver's license from another jurisdiction to pass Georgia's knowledge and skills driving test.
• Section 6 updates a cross-reference in Code Section 50-36-2, part of Georgia's secure and verifiable identity document law, to match the renumbered subsection in Code Section 40-5-21.1.
• Section 7 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-27House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-03-27House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-25House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2026-03-10House Second Readers (House)
5. 2026-03-09House First Readers (House)
6. 2026-03-06Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-06Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)Primary sponsor
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   41 yea, 14 nay

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #645

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   98 yea, 59 nay (2 not voting, 17 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #789

• commercial driver's licenses
• immigration and driving
• trucking regulation
• household goods movers
• driver's license renewal