Driving in Hawaii with a foreign drivers license

[M&G 6]

Hi everyone,

First of all, I'm sorry if I'm asking this question in the wrong forum.

Well, I moved to Hawaii from Brazil about a month ago on a K1 visa. I've been trying to find out what documents I need to obtain a Hawaiian drivers license, but it hasn't been easy. I've tried calling the DMV here but after half an hour on hold I always quit and hang up. I might have to go there but my husband says he has never spent less than an hour waiting in line there, so... I'm not looking forward to it.

Anyway, I have a valid Brazilian drivers license, which allowed me to drive in the US every time I visited my husband in the past 4 years, but since I'm not here on a tourist visa I don't know if the rules are different.

As far as I know I have to wait until I have the EAD and a SSN card to apply for a Hawaiian drivers license, but since I won't have my EAD for at least another 3 months, I need to find out if I'm allowed to drive here with my Brazilian license for the next few months.

Does anyone know if that's possible? Has anyone else had the same problem?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[cazzers 83]

Welcome to the Aloha State!

Have you tried looking up on their website? it says: "Can I drive with my international driver license?

The individual must have a foreign license along with their international permit to drive and a valid passport to show admission date. The license is valid one year upon entry to U.S. The country must be listed as a result of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949), and the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American States. For complete listing of the recognized countries, please call AAA at 808-593-2221."

My husband had an Irish DL when he came back to Hi and he drove with it almost a year, and had no problem applying for a state DL. Also, i think you can try going to a different DMV, like in Kailua, or somewhere else than Honolulu, that is if you live on Oahu.

Aloha!

[M&G 6]

Thanks for your reply! =) I guess I had checked the wrong dmv website before.

[7107 6]

Hi,

Just to check this. I do not have an "international permit to drive" but have a legal driver's license from the Philippines. Am I really not allowed to drive without the international permit? Not sure where I can get that now that I am no longer in the Philippines.

[VOL 425]

Hi,

Just to check this. I do not have an "international permit to drive" but have a legal driver's license from the Philippines. Am I really not allowed to drive without the international permit? Not sure where I can get that now that I am no longer in the Philippines.

International Driving permit is basically a scam, just for money.

IF you have a valid DL and insurance on your car you should be fine.

I am letting my wife drive in Texas on her Philippines Licenses, Even though not legal here, I don't forsee any issues for her...