MarDae

Hi all.

Well, it's final...my husband is now a PA licensed driver!! So watch out roads...especially if driving in the Harrisburg area. A little background...Anthony did not have a license from his home country so he was not able to drive at all until he got his PA driver's permit. So here's our license experience.

Thursday, April 8-Anthony takes permit test, 18 questions...you need to get 15 right
Evidence we took to prove ability to get permit and residency:
EAD, marriage certificate, SS card, Passport, USC birth cert, utility bill with both of our names, letter from bank for Anthony's account, I think they may have also taken my license to photocopy (USC).

Anthony was administered a breif vision exam, took the permit test and then we paid $31 dollars, $5 for the permit $26 for the driver's license. He was issued the offical permit on the spot good for one year.

Thursday, April 15, 2004- I scheduled driver's test online for Anthony for Thursday April 29, 2004.

Thursday, April 29, 2004- Anthony takes driver's test, passed, was issued license that is good for three years, it expires the day after his birthday in 2007.

That's it. That's our story, all in all the worst part was waiting on the EAD so we had everything we needed to get the permit. When we applied for the permit I did have to remind the employee that Anthony was eligible for the license because of his marriage to me, not his K-1 visa (the man kept looking at a visa list for eligibility).

Now I don't have to play chaffeur anymore

MarDae

PS I don't know why we ended up doing everything on Thursdays, it just worked out that way

optimist

congrats...

i had 27 good answers out of 30 for the written test in Texas and i'm learning from the driving experience of my wife...

how was the driving test? any parallel parking?

gabriel

AlisonPA

Excellent news. With the test - was that out on the road in Harrisburg?

MarDae

Yup, he had to parallel park. He said it was pretty easy though. The tester got in the car asked him to turn on the lights, turn signal, etc to demonstrate his knowledge of the car. Then he took him into the parking lot where they adminster the test and he was given three chances to parallel park (he did it on his first try). He then when out on the roads for about a half mile and came back to the test center and was told that he passed and was to go in and pick up his license. I think that was it. Pretty easy.

MarDae

MarDae

Yes, they took him straight out of the testing center and back into one of the local neighborhoods. They didn't take him out on to Cameron St which runs past the PennDOT building because it is pretty busy. It was a busy area where they tested him.

MarDae

gemmacat

Has he ventured onto the turnpike yet?? That's ALWAYS a fun experience
Great news!

Pallyn

They did test Patrick on Cameron St then had him turn onto Paxton St, maybe it is up to the examiner.

MarDae

That's possible, he said it sounded like the examiner he had was a real grump! Maybe he wanted to make the test as short as possible to just get it over with. I let him borrow my car last night...he took it out on to 81, I wasn't expecting that so soon! He made it home okay so I guess I can't complain.

MarDae

PS It's nice to hear from you! Things are finally starting to calm down

Pallyn

The license is a big part of the calming down, for sure. I was terrified the first time Patrick tried 81, I hate that highway and I have been driving for years. Congratulations to him and to you for giving up the chauffeur cap.
I think they pick the examiners for their generally grouchy disposition, he shouldn't take it personal.

MarDae

I never really minded 81 until they started all of the construction. Now I can't stand it. I hate it when the mess with the on and off ramps!!! We're very luck though because my fatehr is letting him borrow his car so we both have cars until he saves up and can purcahse one of his own. I just wish he were more patient with that. The reason he borrowed my car was to go to car dealerships! Oh well. Men and their toys.

MarDae

bequibar

I'm finally gonna go get it this week, but I wanna be sure of a couple things:

- I downloaded and filled a DL-180 form (Non-commercial Learner Permit's Application). Is this it? There's no way of getting a driver's license directly without the learner's permit? I've been driving for 15 years, I feel a little dumb applying for the same thing teenagers apply for...

- It requires a medical examination completed in full by a medical provider. Do I need to go get yet another medical exam or is this a quick checkup they do at the site?

- Visual exam and knowledge exam - they do that when you submit the paperwork, right there and then?

- Driving test - I get to schedule this after being approved first of all of the above?

Thanks guys!