On May 26, 2026, the United States Supreme Court denied Florida’s motion for leave to file an original lawsuit against California and Washington over commercial driver’s licenses issued to certain noncitizens Florida claimed were not eligible under federal CDL rules. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, arguing the Court should have allowed the interstate dispute to proceed.

If you live in North Carolina, your driver’s license somewhat sits at the center of a broader national argument involving immigration law, federal authority, interstate recognition of licenses, commercial trucking, and the REAL ID Act.

That dispute creates an interesting opportunity to explain what REAL ID actually does in North Carolina, what it does not do, and why the issue is legally more complicated than political talking points suggest.