Uptowngirls

Hi
My daughter is attending college for an academic year starting in sept this year in LA. she is a uk national and has just got her drivers licence - she has no insurance history, except as a learner on our car, but I understand that we can get her an international drivers licence.
What to do about a car? Everyone says she must have one but given her age, and a quick trawl of the web, I can see a whole load of pitfalls. Can anyone advise? I have been quoted 700 dollars a month for rental! (Maybe she could live in the car!!!), but buying a car would seem to be another lot of headaches. Would a friend who lives in California buying the car and naming my daughter as a driver be an option?
Thanks for reading - and thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Hotscot

I believe the easiest way is to pass her drivers test and buy a car. If she's resident in CA she must take the test. If she takes a few lessons it should be easy, especially with an automatic, which is the most common vehicle type.

The test itself is very easy..answer some multiple choice, drive around the block, maybe parallel park...and that's it.

Too many complications/costs with anything else. For example you need to be 25 to rent.

Bink

I agree. Insurance won't be cheap though. If you get it down to $150-200 month you're doing pretty good.

Uptowngirls

Hi,
Thanks, but she won't be resident - the course lasts only for 8 months, and she will be on a student visa - the website says that to get a California licence, you need to be resident....oh dear... This could be the undoing....!

Hotscot

Where will she be residing if not in California?

Additionally..which college? If she's at UCLA that's like a self contained village and she could certainly get by without a car and she'll also make friends who do have cars.
It all depends if she wants mobility to do some widespread geographical exploring.

Uptowngirls

She won't be resident for purposes of obtaining official documentation - for instance, one of the tests quoted on the DMV site is, will she be able to vote in elections - which, of course, she won't - she is effectively a visitor, and doesn't need a California driving licence (nor, seemingly, could she get one )

Noorah101

She should be able to get a CA drivers license on a student visa. She'll have an F-1 visa in her passport, right?

She will be "resident" in CA for DMV (and tax) purposes, if she's going to be living there 8 months. She might need something to prove her CA address...a utility bill, rental agreement, that sort of thing. Where will she be living?

That said, depending on where she will be living, she might not need a car. My husband works most of the time in West Hollywood, has done so for 9 years, and doesn't have a drivers license at all. It's a bit of a pain, but he takes the bus when he needs to go somewhere, he takes a taxi to/from LAX airport, and walks to the nearby Trader Joes and CVS for groceries and stuff.

Rene

SanDiegogirl

Age 19, just learnt to drive and new to the country - insurance is going to cost a fortune - even if you can get it.

Since the course is only 8 months I would recommend she live on campus and use public transport where she can. Even renting a car is going to expensive as most rental companies don't rent to people under 25.

She'll make friends who will have cars and will be only too glad to give her lifts once they know her circumstances.

Where in LA is she going?

sir_eccles

Buy a bicycle?

Uptowngirls

She is taking a film course based at universal studios - there is no campus accommodation, but she is hoping to live in Burbank - another thing to sort!
Yes, she will have an F1 visa - so maybe taking the driving test is an option - but not sure why it would help versus international licence - is it an insurance thing?
Thanks to all!

Uptowngirls

Yes, a bicycle maybe...

MMcD

Here's how "resident" is defined on their Gov't. web site by the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch12/ch12_2.htm
It looks like her status may be a bit ambiguous as it cites an exemption for a nonresident student
************************************************** ******
California Resident
(CVC §516) Any person who manifests an intent to live or be located in this state on more than a temporary or transient basis.

Presence in California for six months or more in any 12-month period gives rise to a rebuttable presumption of residency.
The following are evidence of residency for purposes of vehicle registration:
Address where registered to vote.
Location of employment or place of business.
Payment of resident tuition at a public institution of higher education.
Attendance of dependents at a primary or secondary school.
Filing of a homeowner’s property tax exemption.
Renting or leasing a home for use as a residence.
Declaration of residency to obtain a license or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to a nonresident.
Possession of a California driver license.
EXCEPTION: A nonresident student.
Other acts, occurrences, or events that indicate presence in the state is more than temporary or transient.

Gillymonkey

It is a bit of both. Basically if you live in CA and are not here as a tourist you must have a CA driver's licence. If she got pulled over without having this it could lead to problems. The DMV website is not very clear which doesn't help.

jeffreyhy

She will be resident - for her DHS-authorized duration of stay. She should be able to get a limited term drivers license.

If not, she will be able to drive using her UK license.

Regards, JEff

Uptowngirls

Thanks for all your help! This certainly looks like a nightmare - quite apart from the worry for me of her driving on the right! A slight diversion - but am thinking a bicycle might work - plus maybe some good cab company numbers for if she is in a bind - would that be easy and reliable in LA?