A press release from State Senator Pam Althoff:

Secretary of State warns of possible cancellation of Commercial Driver’s Licenses

The driver of this truck in the Marengo Settlers Days Parade would have needed to have checked in with the Secretary of State’s Office to update his Commercial Drivers License information..

McHENRY, IL – State Senator Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) said thousands of individuals with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) could see their license cancelled in late February due to a federal regulation that began in 2011.

According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, all existing CDL holders must visit a Secretary of State CDL facility and declare which one of four categories of driving they engage in by January 30, 2014.

If the driver engages in interstate driving, the driver must also provide the Secretary of State with a medical certification completed by a physician.

If the CDL holder does not declare their type of driving or, if required, submit a medical card by January 30, the Secretary of State will be required to cancel the CDL.

CDL holders were first notified of the new federal regulation requirement in October 2011 and according to the Secretary of State’s office, there have been numerous notifications sent to CDL holders over the last two years.

Currently, 43,000 CDL holders have not complied with this mandate, which is approximately 9 percent of all Illinois CDL holders.

Any CDL holder that has not visited a Secretary of State facility by January 30, 2014, will have their CDL privileges cancelled. Cancellations will be processed in batches in early February, with all cancellations taking effect on February 28, 2014.

To find the nearest CDL facility, visit the Illinois Secretary of State’s website.

For more information, visit the Illinois Secretary of State’s medical card website page or by calling 217-785-3002.