Driving in the USA

[dealradh 4]

Just a quick question, because Google seems to produce about twelve different answers to this simple poser!

I'm going to visit my partner in Indiana for a month in May. We're looking at doing a little road-trip somewhere, but if we go ahead, I'd like to help out with the driving rather than leaving it all to her.

I'm 25 and I've had a full UK driving licence since 2005 with no points and no insurance claims. My fiancée assures me that so long as she's in the car with me, we're insured, and I'm not planning on driving alone! We aren't renting a car, it'll be her own car.

Do I need to just take my UK licence with me (photo card and counterpart) and present it if asked, or do I need to get something else, either from the DVLA or the Indiana BMV?

Thanks for your help in advance! x

Edited March 17, 2011 by dealradh

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Driving and auto insurance are strictly a state thing so it does depend on Indiana. But in general visitors to the US are allowed to drive. Some carry an international driving permit, which is basically a translation of foreign licence details into English. Yours is already in English. On insurance, I can't speak for Indiana, but from what your fiance says it sounds similar to Texas. In the UK, you are used to drivers being insured. In Texas the car is insured. I can lend my car to anybody and my insurance covers the car if damaged, whether I'm in the vehicle or not. A call to her Indiana auto insurance agent will verify what you are allowed to do. And as an anecdotal experience, my husband got a speeding ticket and they just issued it with the details of his UK license number and my US address.

[jkminney 30]

Most insurance in the U.S. covers the driver of the car as long as they are driving with the permission of the owner/insured. Your UK license is sufficient but i would suggest to bring both the paper/photo id version so there isn't any issue with that. My husband used to drive my car without me because he had permission to do so. So even if he was to get in an accident or pulled over it wouldn't have been an issue. I did verify this information with my insurance company because I also didnt want to run into any problems if something were to happen.

[Nigel&Meggie 40]

When I visited my fiancee in Missouri, I did a lot of driving both with and without her. We just made a quick call to her insurance company and they confirmed that I was completely covered. So, just check with the insurance company to be sure but I suspect you will be covered.

[Kabbage 1]

http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/travel/travel-documents/international-driving-permits

[meredith and zac 5]

On this topic... is there anything on VisaJourney about the process to get a US driver's license? I imagine it varies by state, and I am having a hard time finding information on this for my state (Missouri). Does anyone have experience with this? We pretty much just want to know if my fiance would need to just take the "rules of the road" paper test, or would he actually have to take the physical driving test as well? And also, what type of documentation they need to get a license here.

[nylonmac 10]

I know from the NY State License (been reading up on it myself for when I get out there...), that UK drivers have to get a learner's permit, then take the driving test. It sucks a lot, but I guess it will help us get totally used to driving on the right side of the road, although in the UK, we do drive on the correct side

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/travel/travel-documents/international-driving-permits

International Driving Permit is not needed as the UK and the US are both English speaking countries. The IDP gives no rights to drive. It's only a translation tool.

On this topic... is there anything on VisaJourney about the process to get a US driver's license? I imagine it varies by state, and I am having a hard time finding information on this for my state (Missouri). Does anyone have experience with this? We pretty much just want to know if my fiance would need to just take the "rules of the road" paper test, or would he actually have to take the physical driving test as well? And also, what type of documentation they need to get a license here.

Missouri specific information--

http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/idrequirements.pdf

http://dor.mo.gov/drivers/checklist.php#resident

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/290407-driving-in-the-us-with-a-french-driving-license/page__view__findpost__p__4401153

Driver licenses are most often discussed in the Moving here and your new life in America thread. Look through that thread.

Edited March 17, 2011 by Nich-Nick

[Y&E 12]

Indiana BMV aren't going to give you anything and when you finally move here and have all your docs sorted you will have to take the written and practical test. They don't recognise prior experience other than to give you a licence rather than a permit as a result of the testing.

[JoannaV 174]

Just make sure you have the paper part of your licence with you as well.

[marlea 84]

I'm in Indiana as well, and when I was at the BMV last year I ask about my fiance/now husband. Yes, he will eventually need to get an Indiana license, but he is able to drive for a year on his UK license alone. This is both from what I was told and what I read on the Indiana BMV website. As for insurance, my insurance agent told me that as long as someone is allowed to drive the car, the car is insured, even if they aren't listed as a driver on the policy. You should be fine, OP, without having to do anything. You are ok on your UK license in Indiana, and likely other states as well.

[dealradh 4]

Driving and auto insurance are strictly a state thing so it does depend on Indiana. But in general visitors to the US are allowed to drive. Some carry an international driving permit, which is basically a translation of foreign licence details into English. Yours is already in English. On insurance, I can't speak for Indiana, but from what your fiance says it sounds similar to Texas. In the UK, you are used to drivers being insured. In Texas the car is insured. I can lend my car to anybody and my insurance covers the car if damaged, whether I'm in the vehicle or not. A call to her Indiana auto insurance agent will verify what you are allowed to do. And as an anecdotal experience, my husband got a speeding ticket and they just issued it with the details of his UK license number and my US address.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your help, you're a bunch of stars on here - it looks like I'll be OK just taking my own licence. My fiancée's checked things with her insurance company and that's all in order, so all that's left to do is hope I can work out how on earth you drive an automatic!

I do wish May was closer, mind. It didn't seem far-away when I booked the flights, but now I've got one of those countdown thingies on my phone, and I'm thinking of taking it off because it's depressing me saying things like 44 days...

Edited March 22, 2011 by dealradh

[broma25 2]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your help, you're a bunch of stars on here - it looks like I'll be OK just taking my own licence. My fiancée's checked things with her insurance company and that's all in order, so all that's left to do is hope I can work out how on earth you drive an automatic!

I do wish May was closer, mind. It didn't seem far-away when I booked the flights, but now I've got one of those countdown thingies on my phone, and I'm thinking of taking it off because it's depressing me saying things like 44 days...

Driving automatic is the least of your worries...haha....just remember to put your left foot away its not needed. As an inexperienced US driver I am sure you will be glad your driving automatic.

Good Luck!