Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
#1
Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hello all,
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
#2
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hello all,
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
#3
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hey I lived for a year in Iowa from 2001-2002 and was on a student F-visa, I had an international driving licence and a UK drivers license that I had got at the post office before I left and I was able to buy a car and get insurance for the whole year without ever having a US drivers license... I even got pulled over once because I was going slightly over the speed limit and the police officer asked to see my drivers license and looking at the international one he just nodded and asked me not to speed again and then i drove on!
I was also able to open a bank account without a SSN or any sort of utility bill so I think I may have just been lucky as it was small town Iowa
Another possibility is can your finace buy the insurance and you just get named on the policy? I dont know how it works but whenever I am in the states I drive my finace's car around no problem with the UK drivers license..
I was also able to open a bank account without a SSN or any sort of utility bill so I think I may have just been lucky as it was small town Iowa
Another possibility is can your finace buy the insurance and you just get named on the policy? I dont know how it works but whenever I am in the states I drive my finace's car around no problem with the UK drivers license..
#4
And YOU'RE paying for it!
Joined: May 2007
Location: kipper tie?
Posts: 2,328
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Ooh, confusing, check out here and the rest of the site: http://www.mass.gov/rmv/regs/index.htm
You definitely need insurance (and it's easier and sometimes cheaper to get insurance with a US license BUT your no claims might not be recognized - expect to pay a lot). You need to fill out a RMV-1 form and supply "supporting documents"...but you can only get the RMV-1 from an insurance co or dealer, and the website doesn't seem to say what those documents are!
What is true in other states isn't necessarily true for MA, and whatever some RMV phone answerer says is not necessarily correct just because it sounds right to them! Ideally, you should get a copy of the form from the dealer.
You won't be able to convert your foreign license to an MA license, you'll have to do everything right from the start...you know that, right?
You definitely need insurance (and it's easier and sometimes cheaper to get insurance with a US license BUT your no claims might not be recognized - expect to pay a lot). You need to fill out a RMV-1 form and supply "supporting documents"...but you can only get the RMV-1 from an insurance co or dealer, and the website doesn't seem to say what those documents are!
What is true in other states isn't necessarily true for MA, and whatever some RMV phone answerer says is not necessarily correct just because it sounds right to them! Ideally, you should get a copy of the form from the dealer.
You won't be able to convert your foreign license to an MA license, you'll have to do everything right from the start...you know that, right?
#5
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hello all,
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
#6
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Check how long you can drive on that UK licence in MA. In NC it's 60 days after you settle, at which point you must have a US licence.
You'll need a US Licence to go with the registration of the Vehicle Plates and you'll need Vehicle Plates as well as insurance to legally be on the road. Insurance needs a US Licence, unless you're given a 30 day cover note for your test. You'll also have problems with UK no-claims, ie meaning nothing.
Advice, don't buy a car until you have your official US licence.
HTH
Darren
You'll need a US Licence to go with the registration of the Vehicle Plates and you'll need Vehicle Plates as well as insurance to legally be on the road. Insurance needs a US Licence, unless you're given a 30 day cover note for your test. You'll also have problems with UK no-claims, ie meaning nothing.
Advice, don't buy a car until you have your official US licence.
HTH
Darren
Last edited by YankeeDaz; Feb 12th 2008 at 2:35 am.
#7
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hello all,
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
I arrived in the US a little over 3 weeks ago on a K1 visa and I live in MA. The RMV won't give me a DL until I'm a resident but I can drive until then on my UK licence. I've been going to car dealers checking out new cars and it just occurred to me that they might need a driving licence to 'register/title' it - or whatever they do. My fiance has no idea about this so I knew the best place to ask would be here. Does anyone know if a DL is needed to buy a new car in MA?
Thanks in advance.
Reg. Frank R.
#8
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Hello Frank. Is that the same guy who can provide you with LV/Chanel/Prada bags and watches?
#10
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Our daughter is heading down your way next week...I'm off to the UK for 3 weeks...whilst the OH is stuck in NJ earning the dosh to pay for it.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Feb 12th 2008 at 5:01 am. Reason: typo
#11
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Reg. Frank R.
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
Check how long you can drive on that UK licence in MA. In NC it's 60 days after you settle, at which point you must have a US licence.
You'll need a US Licence to go with the registration of the Vehicle Plates and you'll need Vehicle Plates as well as insurance to legally be on the road. Insurance needs a US Licence, unless you're given a 30 day cover note for your test. You'll also have problems with UK no-claims, ie meaning nothing.
Advice, don't buy a car until you have your official US licence.
HTH
Darren
You'll need a US Licence to go with the registration of the Vehicle Plates and you'll need Vehicle Plates as well as insurance to legally be on the road. Insurance needs a US Licence, unless you're given a 30 day cover note for your test. You'll also have problems with UK no-claims, ie meaning nothing.
Advice, don't buy a car until you have your official US licence.
HTH
Darren
Also... I think one should generally be able to get a US d/l on a K-1. If I were the OP, I would look into that more carefully, and perhaps speak to a supervisor.
#13
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
That is not necessarily correct. State Farm told me they would insure my fiance for 6 months on a UK license. It depends upon the insurance company apparently.
Also... I think one should generally be able to get a US d/l on a K-1. If I were the OP, I would look into that more carefully, and perhaps speak to a supervisor.
Also... I think one should generally be able to get a US d/l on a K-1. If I were the OP, I would look into that more carefully, and perhaps speak to a supervisor.
Thanks everyone for your advice, I shall go off and make some phone calls later.
#14
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
That's what I'm going to do today Tracy. My fiance will speak to his insurance company to see what they say and I'll give the RMV a call. Their website says that a person needs to be a 'resident' of MA to get a licence but I can't determine if it means in the immigration sense (permanent resident) or just someone who resides here and has utility bills in their name etc.
Thanks everyone for your advice, I shall go off and make some phone calls later.
Thanks everyone for your advice, I shall go off and make some phone calls later.
You probably need a supervisor, they don't know what to do with K-1s often it seems like.
Good luck.
#15
Re: Can I buy a car without a driving licence?
It makes perfect sense. I leave on the 19th. Have a great time and don't forget to come back.