International Driving License

[SSB 0]

My husband currently drives in Pakistan and he will be getting a International Driver's License from Pakistan so when he comes the USA he can drive with it for a year then after a year he can apply for an American Driver's License, is that something anyone has heard of???

My brother-in-law came to the USA about a year ago and he has been driving with the international driver's license, I guess he has to start all over with getting a permit, then having a road test, the getting an American Driver's License....

My question is has anyone ever got an International Driver's License from a different country and able to get an American Driver's License fairly easy???

[brnidokiegurl 0]

fairly easy as in? most of them find driving here very different some needing school even, so i would think just the normal steps would be required, i believe if you feel very confident you can take the test direct without the permit. Ahmed only had his Moroccan lic so we took the permit route so he could (practice) legally, then the test. He passed the written and driving both on first try

[Damian&Kelly 16]

It really depends on your state, some states don't honor a valid international drivers license. I know that PA honors them for 1 year, so look into your state also it's smart to make sure he's covered under the car insurance on the car he's driving. There's no American license, it's done state to state so every state has a different rule, I know CA is strict about it, but we were lucky PA isn't too hard about it, but in PA you also can't get your PA license until you have an EAD or Green Card And SSN so that rule changes by state to state too.

My husband did this, came over and drove for 1 year before getting a PA license. I don't drive so he drove my mom's car and my mom's car insurance said that he could drive and be covered just so he had permission to drive the car.

You only need an international drivers license if your license isn't in English, so he will need one, as for my husband he was able to just drive on his UK license.

[Otto 83]

An international DL has no bearing on obtaining a state-issued DL; having one doesn't help nor does not having one hurt.

For most states (not all of course) having a foreign DL will not eliminate the need for either the written test or the driving portion of the test and sometimes you'll have to do both. Driving school may be skipped if in possession of a foreign dl (and sometimes the person's age helps too). Also in many states - a person may be permitted to drive in the US for a certain period of time with just their foreign DL.

Be cautious of so called International Drivers Licenses seen all over the internet, most are total BS and you're spending money for nothing but a piece of paper.

[redglasses 1]

I got an international DL in Japan and drove my husband's car with it for a month till I got my state DL.

Having the international DL didn't absolutely have no impact on obtaining the state DL.

I had to take the written and driving tests from the beginning even I was a former state DL holder.

Good luck!

[christeen 966]

Here is some info I found... Seems that every state has different rules??

About foreign driving licence

Tourists may drive in the US for up to a year with a foreign driving licence, provided the issuing country is party to the UN Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949) and the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic (Washington, 1943); most countries are signatories. If your licence wasn’t issued by a country which is a signatory to these conventions or you intend to work or study in the US, you must obtain a driving licence (usually within 30 to 90 days) in the state where you land or where you’re a resident. This may result in the confiscation of your foreign or existing licence (or your American licence may be stamped ‘valid in state only’). You may need an American licence in order to obtain car insurance.

If your foreign licence doesn’t contain a photograph or is written in a language other than English, it’s wise (but not mandatory) to obtain an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). Always carry your foreign licence as well as your IDP. Without an IDP it may be necessary to obtain a certified English translation of your foreign driving licence, usually obtainable from your country’s embassy in the US.

You must always carry your driving licence when driving in the US, where a licence is also the most common form of identification (in some states you can have your car impounded if you’re stopped by the police without your licence). If you don’t drive, you can obtain an official identification card (usually annotated ‘This is not a driver’s permit’) from DMVs in most states and from agents in most cities. This is useful to prove your date of birth or name and address, for example when cashing personal cheques or buying alcohol.

Most states operate a points system, whereby drivers are given penalty points for traffic offences. In some states, you can take a six-hour driving course organised by the AAA and community schools, which reduces your licence point count by two, or opt to attend a driver improvement class (traffic school) at your expense in lieu of a violation being placed on your record. When you accumulate a number of points within a 12-month period, e.g. 12 in New Jersey, your licence is automatically suspended, e.g. for 30 days.

When renewing your licence, you must take a written test if you accumulate more than a certain number of points, e.g. eight in Colorado. A driving licence can be suspended or revoked. Suspension involves the temporary withdrawal of your right to drive (most states emphasise that driving is a privilege and not a right). The state may reinstate that right after a designated period on payment of a fee. (However, thousands of Americans continue to drive after they’ve had their licences suspended.) If your licence is revoked, it’s usually permanent.

This article is an extract from Living and Working in America. Click here to get a copy now.

[SSB 0]

Here is some info I found... Seems that every state has different rules??

About foreign driving licence

Tourists may drive in the US for up to a year with a foreign driving licence, provided the issuing country is party to the UN Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949) and the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic (Washington, 1943); most countries are signatories. If your licence wasn’t issued by a country which is a signatory to these conventions or you intend to work or study in the US, you must obtain a driving licence (usually within 30 to 90 days) in the state where you land or where you’re a resident. This may result in the confiscation of your foreign or existing licence (or your American licence may be stamped ‘valid in state only’). You may need an American licence in order to obtain car insurance.

If your foreign licence doesn’t contain a photograph or is written in a language other than English, it’s wise (but not mandatory) to obtain an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). Always carry your foreign licence as well as your IDP. Without an IDP it may be necessary to obtain a certified English translation of your foreign driving licence, usually obtainable from your country’s embassy in the US.

You must always carry your driving licence when driving in the US, where a licence is also the most common form of identification (in some states you can have your car impounded if you’re stopped by the police without your licence). If you don’t drive, you can obtain an official identification card (usually annotated ‘This is not a driver’s permit’) from DMVs in most states and from agents in most cities. This is useful to prove your date of birth or name and address, for example when cashing personal cheques or buying alcohol.

Most states operate a points system, whereby drivers are given penalty points for traffic offences. In some states, you can take a six-hour driving course organised by the AAA and community schools, which reduces your licence point count by two, or opt to attend a driver improvement class (traffic school) at your expense in lieu of a violation being placed on your record. When you accumulate a number of points within a 12-month period, e.g. 12 in New Jersey, your licence is automatically suspended, e.g. for 30 days.

When renewing your licence, you must take a written test if you accumulate more than a certain number of points, e.g. eight in Colorado. A driving licence can be suspended or revoked. Suspension involves the temporary withdrawal of your right to drive (most states emphasise that driving is a privilege and not a right). The state may reinstate that right after a designated period on payment of a fee. (However, thousands of Americans continue to drive after they’ve had their licences suspended.) If your licence is revoked, it’s usually permanent.

This article is an extract from Living and Working in America. Click here to get a copy now.

thank for the info!!!