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Can I drive myself to my road test?

Can I drive myself to my road test?

Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:03 pm
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Default Can I drive myself to my road test?

I live in PA and have my learners permit (theory test ridiculously easy!) and now I need to book my road test.
As I have a UK license, can I drive myself to the road test, or do I still need to have someone drive me? I don’t want to hand over my UK license (we’re here for 2 years and would rather not have to go through the process of getting it back when we move back to England).
If someone does drive me, do they need to have a PA license or can my husband with his UK license drive me?
If I can drive myself I can get an appointment slightly quicker as can do it during the week. If someone drives me, they don’t need to know I have a license so can’t take it off me.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:08 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

I'm not sure about PA but in CA if you're a permanent resident you have around 10 days to get your CA driving licence from entering the US, I think you can check on the DMV website for your state.

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:10 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by BigT103
I'm not sure about PA but in CA if you're a permanent resident you have around 10 days to get your CA driving licence from entering the US, I think you can check on the DMV website for your state.

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
In PA you can drive on a foreign license for a year so I’ve got plenty of time to get the road test done.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:15 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Sounds like a plan... By the way they can't take your UK drivers licence, that's yours to keep!
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:18 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

I drove myself to my test in GA, using my UK licence.
I also kept my UK licence. I was not asked for it and would not have handed it over anyway.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:20 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by MidAtlantic
I drove myself to my test in GA, using my UK licence.
I also kept my UK licence. I was not asked for it and would not have handed it over anyway.
Thanks - I don’t plan on handing it over I just wasn’t sure if I could drive myself and show my UK license and hope they don’t ask me for it! It only says they take out if state licenses so would say that if they tried to keep it!
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:21 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by BigT103
Sounds like a plan... By the way they can't take your UK drivers licence, that's yours to keep!
😊
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Brandy07
In PA you can drive on a foreign license for a year so I’ve got plenty of time to get the road test done.
No you can't! That a common myth and simply not true - once you become resident you have 60 days, under PA law.

The "12 months on a foreign licence" is a federal law that applies to visitors to the US, but once you take up residence in a state, any state, the state rules apply, which means getting a local license somewhere between 10 and 90 days (depending on the state) after you arrive and become resident. Becoming resident is typically caused by things such as buying or renting a home, starting work, enrolling your child in a school, etc.

And FWIW if you are involved in an accident and found to not have a valid license, i.e. are driving beyond the permitted 60 days in PA, then (i) you can be prosecuted for that in addition to any other infractions, and potentially worse, you may find that you insurance company voids your insurance, leaving you personally liable for damages.

In any case as the written and road tests in any/all US states are pretty much a joke, there is IMO no reason not to get a local license ASAP anyway.

Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 7th 2018 at 12:28 pm.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:29 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
No you can't! That a common myth and simply not true - once you become resident you have 60 days, under PA law. The 12 months is a federal law that applies to visitors to the US, but once you take up residence in a state, any state, the state rules apply, which means getting a local license somewhere between 10 and 90 days after you arrive and become resident. Becoming resident is typically caused by things such as buying or renting a home, starting work, enrolling your child in a school, etc.

And FWIW if you are involved in an accident and found to not have a valid license, i.e. are driving beyond the permitted 60 days in PA, then (i) you can be prosecuted for that in addition to any other infractions, and potentially worse, you may find that you insurance company voids your insurance, leaving you personally liable for damages.
That’s for out of state licenses. In PA it’s a year. I even checked with PennDot and there response is
‘You may drive a vehicle in Pennsylvania with your UK driver’s license for one year from your date of entry into the United States.’
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:33 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by MidAtlantic
I drove myself to my test in GA, using my UK licence.
I also kept my UK licence. I was not asked for it and would not have handed it over anyway.
I did too, in a NY, though my wife was also in the car (she already had a local license), but bear in mind that the rules in some/many (all?) states are not about driving yourself to a test per se, but prohibit a learner from "practicing" on the streets around the test center. Therefore even if accompanied by a licensed driver you would still be in violation of the rules. .... I am sceptical that the rules are actually enforced though.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:50 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I did too, in a NY, though my wife was also in the car (she already had a local license), but bear in mind that the rules in some/many (all?) states are not about driving yourself to a test per se, but prohibit a learner from "practicing" on the streets around the test center. Therefore even if accompanied by a licensed driver you would still be in violation of the rules. .... I am sceptical that the rules are actually enforced though.
My instructor in NY was quite insistent that they are in that state, and after driving me to the test area, waiting for us to reach the head of the line and telling me to move to the driver's seat warned me not to even touch the steering wheel or gear stick until the examiner told me to!
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 12:59 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I'll leave you to fight that out in court with your insurance company. I would think of the cost and inconvenince of obtaining a local license as an insurance cost, because if your insurance is voided and you have just injured or killed an executive or high paid athlete and trashed their Ferrari you may be on the hook for a million dollars are more. Why take the risk?

And if you are quoting personal advice from someone at PennDot, then I wouldn't rely on it at all, because if it the advice is contrary to what the law says (the last time I checked a UK license was issued "out of state" with respect to Pennsylvania ) then in the event of a legal fight, the advice you received is worthless.
You can drive for 12 mths on a foreign DL in Penn.

Straight from the horse’s mouth...

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/FAQ%20Pa...stions.aspx#Q5
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 1:03 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I'll leave you to fight that out in court with your insurance company. I would think of the cost and inconvenince of obtaining a local license as an insurance cost, because if your insurance is voided and you have just injured or killed an executive or high paid athlete and trashed their Ferrari you may be on the hook for a million dollars are more. Why take the risk?

And if you are quoting personal advice from someone at PennDot, then I wouldn't rely on it at all, because if it the advice is contrary to what the law says (the last time I checked a UK license was issued "out of state" with respect to Pennsylvania ) then in the event of a legal fight, the advice you received is worthless.
It even states in the PA drivers manual
• Individuals who possess a valid foreign driver's license from their country are authorized to drive in Pennsylvania for up to one year from their date of entry into the United States, or upon expiration of their foreign license, whichever comes first. International driving permits are strongly recommended, but not required. Reciprocity agreements exist with the countries of France and Germany allowing for the transfer of a valid non-commercial driver’s license without Road or Knowledge testing; however, a Vision Test will be administered. (Transfer of a driver’s license from Puerto Rico, France, or Germany cannot be completed the same day.)

A UK license is a foreign license not an out of state license - if it was classed as an out of state license I’d be able to exchange it for a PA one.
Anyway, I’ll be doing my test soon and my question was about whether I could drive myself or not.
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 1:04 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
You can drive for 12 mths on a foreign DL in Penn.

Straight from the horse’s mouth...

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/FAQ%20Pa...stions.aspx#Q5
Thank you!
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Old Mar 7th 2018, 1:06 pm
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Default Re: Can I drive myself to my road test?

Originally Posted by rpjs
My instructor in NY was quite insistent that they are in that state, and after driving me to the test area, waiting for us to reach the head of the line and telling me to move to the driver's seat warned me not to even touch the steering wheel or gear stick until the examiner told me to!
I think I’ll get someone to drive me just to be on the safe side!
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