Getting a Licence in Iowa

[K and L 27]

I don't know, actually! One of my friends works in their HQ in Ames, I might ask the next time I talk to him.

I suspect what would happen is what happened when I took the driving portion of the licensing test at 15: I was given a piece of paper that said I passed and was told to bring it with me when I was 16 or had the minimum age requirement waived. When I turned 16 and went, I got my license with no additional exams (as I had taken the written exam with the driving exam), just handed them the paper that had my scores.

Edited January 1, 2011 by K and L

[VanessaTony 3,567]

UPDATE

Just to let everyone know I was finally able to take the driving portion of my driving licence in Davenport, Iowa. This was purely because of my timetable and nothing to do with the DOT/DMV slowing me down in anyway.

Basically I went in (as soon as it opened) and got a ticket to wait. I was asked for my learners permit (which I had from passing the knowledge test a while back) and proof of insurance (I took a hire car so needed to make sure I'd paid for "additional liability" on top of the hire fee). I was given a piece of paper to read that outlined the rules (such as no cell phone use which was highlighted AND written at the top of the form in marker).

When I got called to take the test the lady first had me get in the car and start it and wind the window down. She then stood at the back and asked me to press the breaks and indicate in each direction. Then she went to the front had me turn on my head lights, high beams, indicate in both directions and press the horn. Then she got in.

She then directed me to head out. She was really nice and spoke calmly. She told me long ahead of time where my next turn would be, or, if I was in the "wrong" lane for the turn coming up she would say "the next turn will be a left so hop in the left lane when you can". She would say things like "take the next left". When it came time to parallel she told me to first pull up next to the car ahead of me on the side of the road. Then when I was fully stopped she said to "go ahead and parallel park".. which I did.

Then we basically just turned a few lefts and rights. Stopped at give-way signs and stop signs and arrived back at the DOT where I was told I passed. She also went through anything I did wrong and for me she said my parallel was fine but closer to the curb would be better.

The driving portion wasn't in a busy section of town like I thought it might be. She took me through the quiet street across the road a bit from the DOT office... I definitely appreciated that as it was far less stressful.

As a side note I asked her if she'd had any particularly scary incidents and she said she's been in a couple of car accidents while taking tests.. maybe that's why it's a quiet road

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Forgot to add.. the fact that I had a full Australian licence didn't matter... it was/is my age that matters so I got a full licence. If I was under 18 I would have been on the graduated licence program that Iowa does (other states might too). So right now I have a paper licence while I wait up to 21 days for my official one to arrive very exciting.

Finally I've removed my Aussie licence from my wallet, my learners permit (which was clipped but returned to me) and my GC because my licence is fine as ID

**Edited to add: My licence states me as an organ donor, my eye colour and height but does NOT list my weight. Some people don't care if their weight is listed but I just don't see the point and the amount of times you need to show ID (pubs, clubs, returning stuff at shops) I don't think it needs to be there.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony