Switching Over License & Car

[tslei 6]

My husband and I are getting prepared for his move (interview date on 4/08!!) and I was wondering if anyone could provide me information with what the process of changing drivers license and car plates is? My husband actually has a canadian AZ license and was wondering if he would have to take the license test in California again?

 

Thanks! 

[Cryssiekins 976]

Check with your local DMV.  

 

NY state has a reciprocity agreement with Ontario (where I’m from), so I just handed them my ON license and they gave me a NY license.  Only test I had to take was vision. 

 

Being that his is specialized/advanced, there may be a test he has to take for the equivalent endorsements.  

[Cryssiekins 976]

Also, for a car, you have a year to import it.  He will need a compliance letter from the manufacturer and CA insurance before he can register at the DMV.  

 

I drove with ON plates and Canadian insurance (which covered me in the US) for 10 months because there was a recall on my car and backordered parts which had to be dealt with before the compliance letter could be issued.  But once that was done, I went to a border crossing (bc I live on the border, but also a deferred inspection site would work) and handed them the compliance letter, and they gave me a form for the DMV.  Rather painless, which is nice. 

[Unlockable 7,315]

{Mod Action}

Moved from IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports to "Moving to the US and Your New Life In America"

[sweethrtt 124]

On 3/20/2019 at 9:48 PM, Cryssiekins said:

Check with your local DMV.  

 

NY state has a reciprocity agreement with Ontario (where I’m from), so I just handed them my ON license and they gave me a NY license.  Only test I had to take was vision. 

 

Being that his is specialized/advanced, there may be a test he has to take for the equivalent endorsements.  

Hi Cryssiekins!!

 

I am so glad I found this thread. You put my mind at ease because I was thinking ahead (as I always do lol) and was worried that it was going to be really difficult to get a NY drivers license. Thank You! If you have any other tid bits of knowledge in regards to this please do tell 😍

[Cryssiekins 976]

34 minutes ago, sweethrtt said:

Hi Cryssiekins!!

 

I am so glad I found this thread. You put my mind at ease because I was thinking ahead (as I always do lol) and was worried that it was going to be really difficult to get a NY drivers license. Thank You! If you have any other tid bits of knowledge in regards to this please do tell 😍

It’s frustrating having to deal with the DMV, bc the immigration aspect of it was unknown to anyone in that office.  It took a long time in the actual office, and they made phone calls galore, so hopefully you will have someone more familiar with everything.   I was frustrated in there bc I live in Buffalo - and there’s a whole bunch of Canadians hanging around, so it shouldn’t have been so uncommon to everyone in that office.  

 

Feel free to message with any questions you have and I will try to help.