CDL Disqualifications: What Takes Your License
Federal rule 49 CFR 383.51 sets out exactly which convictions disqualify a CDL holder and for how long. Some of them count even when you were driving your own car.
How disqualification works
Disqualification is federal, not a state penalty. When you are convicted of a listed offense, the state must disqualify you from operating a commercial vehicle for the period the regulation sets, and the period is added on top of any other disqualification you are already serving.
It is also separate from your driving license. You can lose the right to drive a commercial vehicle while keeping the right to drive your own car, and the reverse happens too.
The figures below are the federal minimums from 49 CFR 383.51. States may be stricter, so Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is the authority on what applies to you.
Major offenses
These carry one year on a first conviction, three years if you were transporting placarded hazardous material, and a lifetime disqualification on a second conviction in a separate incident.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol as defined by state law
- Driving under the influence of a controlled substance
- Having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater while operating a commercial vehicle
- Refusing an alcohol test required under implied consent laws
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Using a vehicle to commit a felony
- Driving a commercial vehicle while your CDL is revoked, suspended or canceled, or while disqualified
- Causing a fatality through negligent operation of a commercial vehicle
- Note the 0.04 threshold
- Half the 0.08 limit that applies to a car in most states, and it applies while you are operating a commercial vehicle.
- Several count in your own car
- A DUI, a refusal, leaving the scene or using a vehicle in a felony disqualifies a CDL holder whether the vehicle was commercial or personal.
Lifetime disqualifications
A second conviction for any combination of the major offenses above brings a lifetime disqualification. A state may reinstate a driver after 10 years if they complete an approved rehabilitation program, but a further disqualifying conviction after reinstatement ends that possibility permanently.
Two offenses carry a lifetime disqualification with no 10 year reinstatement at all: using a vehicle in a felony involving manufacturing, distributing or dispensing a controlled substance, and using a commercial vehicle in a felony involving severe forms of trafficking in persons.
Serious traffic violations
A single conviction does not disqualify. Two within three years brings 60 days and three within three years brings 120 days. Convictions in your own vehicle count only where they result in your license being revoked, canceled or suspended.
- Speeding 15 mph or more above the limit
- Reckless driving
- Improper or erratic lane changes
- Following too closely
- A traffic control violation connected with a fatal accident
- Driving a commercial vehicle without a CLP or CDL, or without it in your possession
- Driving without the proper class or endorsement for the vehicle or cargo
- Texting, or using a hand-held phone, while driving a commercial vehicle
Railroad crossings and out-of-service orders
- Railroad crossing violations
- No less than 60 days for a first conviction, 120 days for a second within three years, and one year for a third within three years.
- Violating an out-of-service order
- No less than 180 days and up to one year for a first conviction, rising to between two and five years for a second within 10 years, and three to five years for a third.
- Out of service with hazmat or passengers
- Carrying placarded hazardous material, or driving a vehicle designed for 16 or more people including the driver, raises the first conviction to between 180 days and two years, and a second to between three and five years.
What this does not cover
Disqualification is not the only way to lose your CDL. Letting your medical certificate lapse gets your license downgraded administratively, with no conviction involved at all, and it is far more common than any offense on this page.
Employer action is separate again. A carrier may decline to employ you over a record that carries no federal disqualification whatsoever.
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Questions people ask
Does a DUI in my own car affect my CDL?
Yes. A conviction for driving under the influence disqualifies a CDL holder for one year whether the vehicle was commercial or personal, and a second conviction for any combination of the major offenses is a lifetime disqualification.
What is the alcohol limit for a CDL holder?
0.04 while operating a commercial vehicle, which is half the 0.08 limit that applies to a car in most states. Reaching 0.04 is itself a major offense carrying a one year disqualification.
How many speeding tickets before I lose my CDL?
Two serious traffic violations within three years brings a 60 day disqualification and three within three years brings 120 days. Speeding counts as serious at 15 mph or more over the limit.
Can a lifetime disqualification be lifted?
Sometimes. A state may reinstate a driver after 10 years if they complete an approved rehabilitation program, but not for a felony involving manufacturing or distributing a controlled substance, or one involving trafficking in persons. A further disqualifying conviction after reinstatement is permanent.
Next steps
This page explains the federal rules in 49 CFR Part 383. States may be stricter and several have their own intrastate exemptions, so the fees, the waiting periods and the edge cases are decided by Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. BeginCDL.com is independent and not affiliated with any state agency.