The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced updated rules regarding English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The updated policy supersedes the previous 2016 FMCSA guidance and is intended to support roadway safety by ensuring that drivers can understand and respond to questions, instructions, and signage during roadside inspections and in emergency situations.
The updated guidance, which took effect on May 20, 2025, will apply to all commercial motor vehicle drivers operating on U.S.
roadways. North American Standard (NAS) certified Troopers and Officers will begin to enforce this immediately across Georgia.
What do you need to know about these changes?
All CMV drivers will now be required to complete a two-part ELP assessment during a roadside inspection, if there is a reasonable concern regarding their ability to communicate safely and effectively in English:
- Speaking English: Drivers must be able to answer questions from officers in English without help from an interpreter or translation app.
- Reading Road Signs: Drivers must correctly identify at least three out of four common traffic signs in English. To ensure enforcement remains consistent across Georgia, officers will use a standardized roadside sign chart provided by FMCSA for these evaluations.
If a driver fails either part of the English language test, it will be recorded as a violation on the CMV inspection report until June 24, 2025. Starting June 25, 2025, drivers who fail the English Language Proficiency test will be placed out-of-service, meaning they cannot drive until they meet the requirements.
Notable Exception:
- Drivers who are hearing impaired and have received the designated FMCSA exemption will not be placed out-of-service if they are unable to communicate orally in English.