The Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) is a nationwide computer system that enables state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) to ensure that each commercial driver has only one driver license and one complete driver record.

SDLAs use CDLIS to complete commercial driver license (CDL) procedures such as:

• Transmitting out-of-state convictions and withdrawals
• Transferring the driver record when a commercial driver license holder moves to another state
• Responding to requests for driver status and history

CDLIS was established under the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (CMVSA) of 1986 and is based on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in 49 CFR 383 and 384.

Federal Mandates

Exclusive Electronic Exchange

The Exclusive Electronic Exchange (EEE) federal mandate requires that state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) implement a system for the exclusively electronic exchange of driver history record (DHR) information through CDLIS. This includes posting information about convictions, withdrawals, and disqualifications related to commercial drivers. The purpose of this federal mandate is to align FMCSA's regulations with existing statutory requirements set forth in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) bill. States must achieve substantial compliance with this requirement by August 22, 2024. To see the status of EEE structured testing efforts, visit here (jurisdiction and federal members only).

Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse (DACH) is an online database that gives employers and government agencies real-time access to information about CDL driver drug and alcohol program violations. The purpose of the DACH II final rule is to improve highway safety by ensuring the CLP and CDL holders with DACH violations do not operate a CMV until they complete a return-to-duty process and can lawfully resume driving. The compliance date for the DACH II final rule is November 18, 2024. States that are opting for the CDLIS solution to connect to the Clearinghouse must implement two new CDLIS transactions. To see the DACH implementation status for states using the CDLIS solution, visit here (jurisdiction and federal members only).

Reports 

The State Pointer Exchange Services (SPEXS) WebUI Reporting Portal is an AAMVA web application that allows authorized jurisdictional users to access SPEXS reports. These reports help jurisdictions monitor data quality and timeliness of various aspects of their operations, including convictions and withdrawals posting timeliness. CDLIS reports provide analytical data covering a variety of categories such as timeliness and data quality of CDLIS records to help a jurisdiction identify potential issues. The goal in identifying these potential issues is to save lives by keeping bad drivers off the road. The information in the reports may indicate that the jurisdiction’s technology systems, business processes, or training programs need to be updated in order to maintain accurate CDLIS records. See here to learn more about CDLIS reports.

Program Leadership

The CDLIS Subcommittee (formerly working group) provides guidance and direction on improvements, enhancements, and changes related to the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) application and processes. The subcommittee addresses known limitations, prioritizes changes, and identifies opportunities to support future growth and improvements. For more information about the subcommittee, visit their page.

Scheduled Maintenance

For when scheduled maintenance on CDLIS will occur, please visit here.

Data Quality Validation and Verification: CD31 Process

The Master Pointer Record (MPR) Data Quality Validation and Verification Process (implemented by executing the CD31 process) identifies missing pointers, broken pointers, or incorrect data on MPRs at the CDLIS Central Site based on driver record information at the corresponding state of record (SOR). This helps states ensure that their MPRs are complete and accurate. CD31 does this by comparing driver records maintained at the jurisdiction with the corresponding MPRs that each state of record (SOR) is required to maintain at the CDLIS Central Site.

In compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) guidelines, the SOR schedules the CD31 execution in coordination with the AAMVA CD31 support group at least once each year. Upon request from the SOR, AAMVA can schedule any number of CD31 executions at the CDLIS Central Site.

AAMVA provides hands-on support and advice to states as they execute the CD31 process. The CDLIS CD31 Best Practices Guide 1.0.4 assists states in executing and managing their CD31 process. It provides instructions for executing CD31, best practices for correcting errors found from CD31, and helps states determine the root causes of data errors.

Education and Training

AAMVA offers informational webinars and training courses related to CDLIS, including:

• On demand CDLIS Learning Paths
• On demand CDLIS basic courses
• On demand CDLIS intermediate courses
• On demand CDLIS advanced courses
• On demand CDLIS reports courses

You can also visit our search page to find a list of all CDLIS events. Once on the page, please use the filters on the left side to access the desired "Event Type." 

For a comprehensive list of all systems trainings and learning opportunities, visit our Webinars and Training page.