In many states it is a criminal offense (DUI/DWI) to operate a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .04 or more—which is half of the BAC usually required to commit the DUI/DWI offense while driving a non-commercial vehicle. Because most holders of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) depend on their license to earn a living, the consequences of a DUI/DWI conviction for a CDL holder—including a conviction while operating a non-commercial vehicle—are serious.

Laws vary from state to state but a CDL holder’s license may be suspended for one year for the first offense, and with a second DUI/DWI conviction the CDL holder may be permanently disqualified from holding a CDL.

These laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the vehicle code, motor vehicle code, or transportation code.

In Georgia, the regulations for commercial drivers regarding DUI/DWI offenses are indeed stricter compared to non-commercial drivers. Under Georgia law, a commercial vehicle driver is prohibited from operating a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .04 or higher, which is indeed half the BAC limit for non-commercial drivers. For CDL holders, a first offense DUI/DWI can result in a one-year suspension of their commercial driver's license. If a CDL holder commits a second DUI/DWI offense, they face the possibility of being permanently disqualified from holding a CDL. These regulations are designed to ensure the safety of the roads and to hold commercial drivers to a higher standard due to the potential consequences of operating larger vehicles under the influence of alcohol. The specific laws governing these offenses and penalties are typically found in the state's vehicle or transportation codes.