No License Required To Drive In 2026? Don't Believe Everything You See On TikTok

Over the past few weeks, numerous videos have gone viral on TikTok claiming that starting January next year, driving without a license will be legal in the United States. The videos cite President Donald Trump as the architect behind the new policy, but don't cite any source, rule amendment, or public announcements regarding it. We have also come across similar posts on Facebook and X. Some have been shared hundreds of thousands of times and reposted across other social media platforms.

"Under the new law individuals caught driving without a driver's license will no longer face criminal charges, instead they will receive a civil fine, similar to a parking ticket," says a post shared on Instagram, which has been lifted from TikTok, as is evident from the watermark. The claims in these videos are misleading, and the administration hasn't made any such announcement regarding a law that would allow driving without a license in the country.

As per a fact-check by Newsweek, all such claims are false. The outlet also didn't hear about any such policy change upon contacting the U.S. Department of Transportation. Separately, an analysis by Snopes suggests that the videos were likely AI-generated slop. It should be noted that sharing such false claims could be construed as defamation and could land you in legal trouble. Moreover, it violates platform policies regarding the spread of false information.

Contrary to claims that the president will allow vehicles to drive a car without a license, the administration has only tightened the rules in 2025. As per a note issued by the White House in April, titled "Commonsense Rules of the Road for America's Truck Drivers," the president has ordered authorities to ensure that all American drivers are "validly licensed and qualified." The notice also directs the Secretary of Transportation to review the issuing process of driver's licenses to non-domiciled individuals.

A separate notice issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that was released in June announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) was starting a country-wide audit into the protocols followed by states when doling out non-domiciled Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs). It cited the order issued by the White House and highlighted "unqualified individuals obtaining licenses and posing a hazard on our roads."

Just to be clear here, especially for anyone who may have come across the AI-generated posts, the claims go against the administration's policies. Traffic regulations, which include issuing driver's licenses, are handled by states instead of the federal government. In a nutshell, if any policy change around driving licenses is adopted, it will require each state to enforce it in its unique fashion, instead of a blanket nationwide change. Even if teens don't prioritize getting a license, driving without one is a punishable act in most states that can result in jail time for repeat offenses or paying a hefty penalty.