US Driver's licenses & buying a car

[Ozz777 23]

And I found this buried in the PA DMV website...

Foreign License Holders: Pennsylvania honors a valid foreign driver’s license with an international driving

permit for a period of up to one (1) year. If the foreign license and/or international driving permit expire before

one (1) year, the individual must apply for a Pennsylvania learner’s permit to continue to drive in this state. All

holders of foreign licenses must apply for a Pennsylvania learner’s permit if they wish to obtain a Pennsylvania

driver’s license. Reciprocity agreements exist with the countries of France and Germany allowing for the transfer

of a valid non-commercial driver’s license without Road or Knowledge testing; however, a Vision Test will be

administered. (Transfer of a driver’s license from Puerto Rico, France or Germany cannot be completed the

same day.)

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Hi Laura, here are the PA publications on what proofs you will need, to obtain your drivers license as both a citizen and a non-citizen. In your first post, I believe you said that your husband was a dual citizen of US and UK, but later said that he would be a permanent resident, which one is correct? Just scroll down the appropriate forms and note which situation applies to your husband and to you. It seems that either way, you'll need a social security card, or an official letter from the social security administration. It only takes a few days to obtain a SS card, once you apply.

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/fact_sheets/pub195nc.pdf for non citizens

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/fact_sheets/pub195us.pdf for citizens

I agree that PA government agencies can be difficult to deal with or obtain accurate information from, as I lived there from 2006-2011 and had many similar issues. You have to remember that, with the exception of the Philadelphia area, people don't really move into PA in great numbers, so it is kind of a closed society. I know that when I told people that I had moved there from Seattle, they were like... Why? Lol

As for buying a car from a private seller for cash, that should be no problem. And if you can provide the proofs needed for a license, it will be no problem insuring and registering it. The PA DMV claims that you can't use a rental car, but when doing the google search below, one will find that their are many companies that offer this very service in PA. Oh, and get used to everyone in Pennsylvania always calling it P-A, not Pennsylvania. Another quirk of the great ole USA.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pa+drivers+test+rental+car&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&channel=fflb&channel=rcs

I would also call some american insurance companies like state farm, allstate or geico, and explain your situation to a customer service person and see what they say. If you need numbers, let us know and we can get them for you.

Best of luck, and I hope it works out well for you guys.

What good is it going to do to buy a car for cash if you can't get it registered?

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

PA has some of the most restrictive driving and licensing requirements in the US. And they have crafted those laws with "immigration" in mind. Or rather one should say, deterring people who are illegally present from securing a PA license. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they won't let a person take a driving test in a rental car.

Laura's husband may have to have a friend ferry him around for a while until he acquires the necessary documentation to prove to PA that he isn't an illegal alien.

[LauraDP 10]

Thank you for your really helpful reply, Ozz777.

My husband is a dual national (UK and US) but has never held a US driver's license. I will be a LPR upon arrival in the US and should have an SSN shortly afterwards (we are taking the DCF route). Apologies for making that bit of my post a muddle.

That's really useful to know that there is a means of getting around the rental car exclusion. That route would make things so much easier and make the timescales more manageable.

I will get my husband on to contacting insurance companies and will make a note of the companies you have listed and start with them.

Thanks also for the tip about calling it P-A!

I really appreciate you taking the time out to reply to my query. With so much contradictory and ambiguous information on this topic (and not actually knowing anyone who lives in PA) I was finding it really difficult to fathom it all out.

Best wishes

Laura

[Boiler 45,470]

And I found this buried in the PA DMV website...

Foreign License Holders: Pennsylvania honors a valid foreign driver’s license with an international driving

permit for a period of up to one (1) year. If the foreign license and/or international driving permit expire before

one (1) year, the individual must apply for a Pennsylvania learner’s permit to continue to drive in this state. All

holders of foreign licenses must apply for a Pennsylvania learner’s permit if they wish to obtain a Pennsylvania

driver’s license. Reciprocity agreements exist with the countries of France and Germany allowing for the transfer

of a valid non-commercial driver’s license without Road or Knowledge testing; however, a Vision Test will be

administered. (Transfer of a driver’s license from Puerto Rico, France or Germany cannot be completed the

same day.)

The person concerned is taking up residence.

[rhirhi 35]

I've been looking into the same thing for MA. I managed to find a local driving school which asks you to pay $120 for them to loan you the car for the duration of the test, sponsorship for the test, RMV examiner and scheduling the test. Might be worth looking for local driving schools in PA which offer similar.

[LauraDP 10]

I've been looking into the same thing for MA. I managed to find a local driving school which asks you to pay $120 for them to loan you the car for the duration of the test, sponsorship for the test, RMV examiner and scheduling the test. Might be worth looking for local driving schools in PA which offer similar.

That's a good tip. Thanks!