Texas Drivers License questions

[thrashunreal 20]

Hey y'all.

 

I have done a bunch of googling and reading the website for DMV here but thought I would ask on here for some clarification.

 

I hold a UK driving license. I have been using it since entering here on a K1 in October.

 

Geico are going to stop insuring me unless I get a Texas license.

 

I am under the impression I just go to a test center with my ID, my EAD card perhaps, and ask to take a test?

 

Is it any more complicated than that?

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

Go to this link, which is the source.  Download the pamphlet.  It lists everything you must have to get a Texas driver's license.  

 

https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/identificationrequirements.htm

Find this sentence:  "A brochure listing all of the following documents is available for download"

Read the .pdf file.  It explains it very well. 

 

You will need:

US status documentation

Texas residence documentation

Social Security Card

Current driver license

Vehicle insurance documentation

 

 

Edited June 2, 2017 by missileman

[zilchfox 296]

13 minutes ago, missileman said:

You will need:

US status documentation

 

And US status documentation is pretty much going to be your EAD (which allows you to at least get a drivers license valid until the last day of your EAD) and your NOA1 for your I-485 (as they'll ask for it based on the category number on your EAD).

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from General Immigration-Related Discussion to Moving to the US and Your New Life In America**

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

2 minutes ago, zilchfox said:

And US status documentation is pretty much going to be your EAD (which allows you to at least get a drivers license valid until the last day of your EAD) and your NOA1 for your I-485 (as they'll ask for it based on the category number on your EAD).

Examples of documents to verify lawful presence include:

 Birth certificate or birth record issued by the appropriate State Bureau of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency from a US state or local government, a US territory, or the District of Columbia

 US passport book or passport card

 US Citizenship Certificate or Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-560, N-561, N-570, or N-578)

 US citizen Identification card (I-179 or I-197)

 US Department of State Certificate of Birth Abroad issued to US citizens born abroad (Form FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545)

 Permanent Resident card (I-551)

 Passport or I-94 stamped “Approved I-551” or “Processed for I-551”

 Employment Authorization card (I-766)

 US travel document (I-327 or I-571)

 I-94 stamped “Sec. 208 Asylee” or “Sec. 207 Refugee”

 Machine Readable Immigrant Visa with temporary I-551 l anguage and ADIT stamp

 Temporary I-551 stamp in foreign passport

 DS-2019 exchange visitor (J-1) certificate

 I-20 Non-immigrant student (F-1)

 Student documents with Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) number

 Non-student documents with alien number or I-94

[Алекс и Эрин 105]

Great information @missileman.  

[Wuozopo 4,293]

5 hours ago, thrashunreal said:

 

I am under the impression I just go to a test center with my ID, my EAD card perhaps, and ask to take a test?

 

Is it any more complicated than that?

 

Find a center and see if they offer appointments online. If you are on the Pflugerville side of Austin, there is a Mega Center and you can get in line online for that one. Find a location here http://www.dps.texas.gov/administration/driver_licensing_control/rolodex/search.asp

 

You will take a test on a computer and if you pass you get a learners permit. With that, you can make an appointment for a driving test. Study the Texas Driver's Handbook, especially all the stuff about teens and penalties in the first part of the book because the test is loaded with that since most new drivers are teens. They will give you a free copy at a center or there is an online version. 

 

 

[mallafri76 1,012]

You know you had to get your Texas driver's license within 90 days of taking up residence in Texas..... So if you've been driving for the past four months or so, you've been doing so illegally.

 

You have to go to the Texas Department of Public Safety to apply for a Texas' driver's license, pay the fee, do finger prints and take your picture. You can take the written test the same day. Once you've passed the written test, you'll get a number and you can then use that number to book a driving test. The dps in south Austin usually have a shorter wait time for the driving test. Or you can queue up at any dps from 5.30 am in the morning to get a same day driving test.

 

The driving test is ridiculous. You drive down the street, make a few turns, stop and reverse along the sidewalk and that's pretty much it.

 

The written test in Texas is a lot to do with underage questions so even if you're older, don't ignore those questions when you practice. There's a practice test online or you can get a test book from dps. I'm 40 and half the questions on my written test was aimed at under 21 drivers so the test is not age appropriate.

 

Once you pass the driving test you'll get a temporary driver's license then and there. The real driver's license comes in the mail within a month.

 

Good luck.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

43 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

You will take a test on a computer and if you pass you get a learners permit. With that, you can make an appointment for a driving test. Study the Texas Driver's Handbook, especially all the stuff about teens and penalties in the first part of the book because the test is loaded with that since most new drivers are teens. They will give you a free copy at a center or there is an online version. 

Hah! I didn't get a single question about teens and penalties, I wonder why??  lucky I guess cause I hadn't really paid attention to that too much. ..

There were some other penalties questions though - the test was really easy compared to the Swedish one!

 

OP - if you aren't able to be booked for the driving part for a while you can ask a manager if they'll bump you up - I would gave waited 1.5 month for my driving appointment otherwise but was able to do it the same day cause of some friendly and helpful staff. Hopefully wait times are shorter where you are

Edited June 3, 2017 by Suss&Camm

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

5 minutes ago, mallafri76 said:

The driving test is ridiculous. You drive down the street, make a few turns, stop and reverse along the sidewalk and that's pretty much it.

Lol right!!!! I was like ...Uhmmm that's it???!! 

5 minutes ago, mallafri76 said:

There's a practice test online or you can get a test book from dps. I'm 40 and half the questions on my written test was aimed at under 21 drivers so the test is not age appropriate.

Wow... I'm glad I was lucky on that lol.. but then again.. you're allowed to fail so mny questions - probably wouldn't have mattered 

[LivFavor 17]

On 6/2/2017 at 3:53 PM, zilchfox said:

And US status documentation is pretty much going to be your EAD (which allows you to at least get a drivers license valid until the last day of your EAD) and your NOA1 for your I-485 (as they'll ask for it based on the category number on your EAD).

I also want to add that you must not have your EAD or greencard to get your drivers license. All you need is the NOA1 for the AOS application. My hubby got his Texas Drivers License using NOA1.