Driving Test

sammills89 · April 9, 2010

So I should be going to take my Florida driving test next week, this is completely stupid as I have seen the driving standards out here and I have a full UK license, but that's not the point here! It says on the DMV wesbite you must have proof of insurance to be able to take the test, my wife is insured on our car but I am not, as I have a UK license. Anyone out there been through this yet? Am I going to have to fork out hundreds of dollars for an insurance policy I don't want so that I'm covered, soley for the test?

Brother Hesekiel · April 9, 2010

You need insurance anyway. So either you add yourself to your wife's policy now, or you rent a car with insurance specifically for the test.

ScratchIt · April 9, 2010

So I should be going to take my Florida driving test next week, this is completely stupid as I have seen the driving standards out here and I have a full UK license, but that's not the point here! It says on the DMV wesbite you must have proof of insurance to be able to take the test, my wife is insured on our car but I am not, as I have a UK license. Anyone out there been through this yet? Am I going to have to fork out hundreds of dollars for an insurance policy I don't want so that I'm covered, soley for the test?

No, you do not have to fork out hundreds of dollars for an insurance policy you don't want so that you're covered, soley for the test. You have to fork out some money (get added to your wife's policy) because it is the law. Unless you plan on breaking the law and driving around Florida without insurance, I suggest getting the insurance or not getting the license, after all why have the license if you are going to drive illegally anyway right? Certain types of vehicle insurance coverage are compulsory in Florida and I believe the other 49 states. If you get behind the wheel of a car, you are required by law to have insurance or the car must be insured for various drivers. This must not be the case in the good old UK. Look in the Florida Drivers Handbook that you studied to take the test. It states:

(Page 9)

DRIVING TEST

• You must provide a vehicle for the driving test.

• Proof of personal injury protection insurance and valid vehicle registration must be provided on the vehicle for the driving test.

(Page 16)

Florida Motor Vehicle Insurance Laws

In Florida, there are two motor vehicle insurance laws. They are the Financial Responsibility Law and the No-Fault law. It is important that you understand these laws because if you do not have the proper insurance, you can lose your driver license and license plate(s) and have to pay large fees to get them back.

The Financial Responsibility Law

The Financial Responsibility Law requires owners and operators of motor vehicles to be financially responsible for damages and/or injuries they may cause to others when a motor vehicle crash happens.

This law requires any person to have bodily injury liability insurance at the time of the following:

1. A crash where you are at fault and injuries have occurred.

2. A suspension for too many points against your driver license.

3. A citation for DUI, which results in a revocation.

4. A revocation for Habitual Traffic Offender.

5. A revocation for any serious offense where this department is required to revoke your license.

You must have the following minimum insurance coverage:

• $10,000 Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) (to one person).

• $20,000 Bodily Injury Liability to two or more persons.

• $10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL), or

• $30,000 Combined single limits.

If involved in any of the above violations and you do not have insurance to comply with the Financial Responsibility Law, your driver license and/or license plates will be suspended for up to three years. You will have to pay a $15 reinstatement fee and show the department certified proof of full liability insurance on Form SR-22 for three years from the original suspension date to get your driving privilege back. In addition, if you are the driver or the owner of a vehicle which is in a crash that is your fault, this department can require you to pay for the damages before your driving privilege is reinstated. Under this law, to protect yourself and others, you should have liability insurance on any motor vehicle you own or drive, including motorcycles.

The No-Fault Law

The Florida No-Fault Law requires owners of motor vehicles with four or more wheels (excluding taxis and limousines) that have been in the state for at least 90 days or non-consecutive days during the past 365 days to purchase a policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state. The minimum coverages are:

• $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

• $10,000 of Property Damage Liability (PDL)

You cannot buy a license plate and registration for a car, or other four-wheel vehicle, without having coverage issued in Florida. Once you have this insurance, anytime you renew it, fail to renew it, cancel it, or the insurance company cancels, the insurance company must notify this department. The department will then notify you to provide proof of new coverage. If you fail to provide proof of insurance, your driver license and license plate(s) will be suspended for up to three years. You must maintain insurance coverage throughout the vehicle registration period or you must surrender the license plate(s) to any driver license office. If your driver license and license plate(s) are suspended for not having insurance under the No-Fault Law, you will have to pay $150 and show proof of current insurance to get them back. For a second offense within three years, you will pay $250. For a third offense within three years, you will have to pay $500. Also, if your driver license and plate(s) have been under suspension for 30 days or more for a no-fault insurance violation, a police officer can seize your license plate immediately.

Effective 10/01/06, all taxicabs are required to maintain the following insurance to register a vehicle in Florida.

Bodily Injury Liability per person: $125,000

Bodily Injury Liability per occurrence: $250,000

Property Damage Liability: $ 50,000

Or Combined Single Limit Coverage: $300,000

General Information

You will be issued a Florida Insurance I.D. Card from your insurance company. You must have this card ready to show to any law enforcement officer to prove that you have the required insurance. If not, you may receive a ticket for not having proof of insurance. If your driver license or license plate(s) are suspended for not obeying either of these laws, you cannot get a temporary license for any reason, not even for work purposes only. Any person who makes a false statement or commits forgery about their motor vehicle insurance can be guilty of a second degree misdemeanor. The Department will always provide you with an opportunity to prove insurance coverage or be heard before being suspended.

How to comply:

1. By purchasing a motor vehicle insurance policy from a company licensed to do business in Florida.

2. By obtaining a Financial Responsibility Certificate from the Bureau of Financial Responsibility after posting a satisfactory surety bond of a company licensed to do business in Florida.

3. By obtaining a Financial Responsibility Certificate from the Bureau of Financial Responsibility by depositing cash or securities with the Department.

4. By obtaining a Self Insurance Certificate from the Bureau of Financial Responsibility by providing satisfactory evidence of possessing a net unencumbered capital.

Remember: Automobile insurance is an important part of your driving privilege. Protect yourself and others by having and keeping the proper insurance coverage.

sammills89 · April 9, 2010

Okay well thank you for the slightly condescending reply... I am well aware that I will need to be insured for the test, I have however heard that if the car is insured in my wife's name and I have permission to drive it then it wouldn't be a problem, this may or may not be true I do not know. At no point did I say I was driving around 'illegally' without insurance, the car is brand new and as of right now my wife is insured on it - I have never driven the car. What I was asking is whether or not I would have to arrange an alternative insurance company as most of the ones here will not provide cover for me with a "good old UK" license. I don't understand how they expect me to take the test in an insured vehicle when our insurance company wont cover me with a UK license! I'm more than willing to take the test which is a complete joke compared to the one we have to pass in England, I just wish I knew why my insurance company wont cover me on a UK license!

elmcitymaven · April 10, 2010

It's the car that needs to be insured, not you. Trust me. I took the exam on my mother's car when we moved to Connecticut from London (despite being the USC I'd never had a US licence before) and when proof of insurance was asked for, it was asked for on the car, not for me. I was not named on that insurance card, though I was insured separately for another car that we had in storage in another part of the country. (Very long story.) When you drive your wife's car for the test, you will be covered under the third party cover on her insurance, just like when she loans the car to a friend or relative to drive for the day. After you get that Florida DL, you'll obviously get cover.

Moving to the Moving Here and Your New Life in America forum from General Immigration because the thread is about life in the US, not about immigration.

sammills89 · April 10, 2010

It's the car that needs to be insured, not you. Trust me. I took the exam on my mother's car when we moved to Connecticut from London (despite being the USC I'd never had a US licence before) and when proof of insurance was asked for, it was asked for on the car, not for me. I was not named on that insurance card, though I was insured separately for another car that we had in storage in another part of the country. (Very long story.) When you drive your wife's car for the test, you will be covered under the third party cover on her insurance, just like when she loans the car to a friend or relative to drive for the day. After you get that Florida DL, you'll obviously get cover.

Moving to the Moving Here and Your New Life in America forum from General Immigration because the thread is about life in the US, not about immigration.

Thank you very much for clearing that up for me, I am well aware that I will need to be covered and have every intention of being covered once I have my license! Sorry for posting it in the wrong area, I never know where to go. Thanks for the info, really appreciate it!

justashooter · April 10, 2010

agreed. your wife is allowed to "lend" her car to you for purposes of the test. she needs to be present at the test to show that she drove the car to the test site, anyway.

elmcitymaven · April 11, 2010

agreed. your wife is allowed to "lend" her car to you for purposes of the test. she needs to be present at the test to show that she drove the car to the test site, anyway.

Yep -- my mom had to go with me and show she was the driver named on the insurance.

My friend tells me the Florida test is a piece of p!ss -- she's from Ireland and had never driven a car before. She drove in Florida for just over a week to get the hang of driving, and sailed through the test. I'm guessing you'll do just fine.

Lancelotte25 · April 17, 2010

Hire an instructor and use his car.

riz · April 25, 2010

My wife needs to take a driving test here in Tampa, FL. Anyone can share their experience about the recent driving test?

Like, are they going to ask for parallel parking? or drive in reverse or they just going to ask her to take the car out of the parking lot and drive around a block or so?

Thanks

NotworkSte · April 26, 2010

My wife needs to take a driving test here in Tampa, FL. Anyone can share their experience about the recent driving test?

Like, are they going to ask for parallel parking? or drive in reverse or they just going to ask her to take the car out of the parking lot and drive around a block or so?

Thanks

Riz:

Here's a link to a thread where I made a post on taking the test in Tampa, hopefully be of use to you.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/249086-florida-driving-license/

As a matter of curiosity, decided which dmv location to use? The one on E Hillsboro is a nightmare to even get into, I went for one a little further away on MLK.

Edited April 26, 2010 by NotworkSte

riz · May 5, 2010

Riz:

Here's a link to a thread where I made a post on taking the test in Tampa, hopefully be of use to you.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/249086-florida-driving-license/

As a matter of curiosity, decided which dmv location to use? The one on E Hillsboro is a nightmare to even get into, I went for one a little further away on MLK.

Thanks NotworSte,

We will be going to the one at Livingston Avenue (North Tampa), which is not that bad. My father just got his FL driver license from there.

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