davidru

hello,

apologies for another driving license question, but i'm a bit unclear about the rules on driving out of state. I am resident in NYS, but have faffed about getting my NYS driving license. However I still have my UK one. My understanding is that I can't drive any longer in NYS as I've been resident longer than 30 days- but from reading the various dmv websites it seems like I can drive in any other state as I'm not resident there and have a foreign license. Does anyone know if this is correct?

Many thanks,
David

md95065

Questions like this come up all the time.

They usually end up in lengthy discussions and disagreement over exactly what is and is not allowed in various states in the kind of situation that you describe.

Trust me, it would be much quicker and simpler for you to just get a New York driver's license than to waste time trying to get a definitive answer to your question.

ian-mstm

How do you plan to get to these other states without violating NYS law?

Ian

TheCynick

This is not indicative of what will happen in every case, but a colleague who has just moved to Atlanta on an L1 was recently pulled over by the rozzers in Indiana. The conversation went something like this (as described by my mate, some literary embellishment by myself):

Copper: Going a bit fast there, matey.
Matey: Mmm, guess I was going at 60 or so.
Copper: Did you know this is a 55 zone?
Matey: I probably did, yes.
Copper: This is a rental car, isn't it?
Matey: Yes.
Copper: Right, nevermind the registration, let's see your licence.
Matey: Here you go (hands copper the UK licence).
Copper: ... (all the while looking at matey's UK licence).
Copper: Slow down in future.

Finis.

md95065

Bus, taxi, train, aircraft, boat or even, possibly, in a car driven by someone else who has a valid license - the possibilities would seem to be almost endless ...

Rete

NYS requires that you get a NYS driver's license if you are resident in the State of New York. They require that it be done within your first 30 days of taking up residency.

Nowhere does the NYS law state that you forfeit your driver's license obtained from another state and/or country. As long as it is still valid you can still drive with it.

At most if you are stopped by a police officer or state trooper and they learn that you are resident in NYS and have been for over 30 days, you will be given a ticket to appear in court.

dreamercon

Note that if stopped and the cop asks you how long you have been a resident of NYS, you can simply ask to remain silent and refuse to answer any questions. Then its up to the cop to show how long you have been a resident of NYS for.

celticgrid

I believe they expect you to "exchange" or "surrender" (their words) any license from another state. They were certainly hot on getting my PA license off me when I switched, but then I had no inclination to keep the thing!

lisa67

What would be more worrying to me if I was in the OP's position would be insurance. If he, god forbid, gets into an accident then it opens up a completely different can of worms

Rete

You can be insured in the US with a foreign license. My husband had no problems doing that. I added him to my policy with his Canadian license and his Canadian registered car (to boot) with GEICO.

avanutria

When I switched from a NY to a WA licence they let me keep my NY one but punched a hole in it to invalidate it. I'm glad I got to keep it; it's funny to have the goofy 16-year old picture still!

I can't remember whether my WA one was punched or removed when I switched to Oregon. I think possibly punched again. By that time I had two different components of the WA one, as I'd renewed while overseas but the renewal had no photo on it and had to be carried with the expired one.

Bob

My Maine one was taken off me to switch it for a Mass one, where they send it back to the state.

lisa67

Good to know
I just wondered how it would work out if he rented a car in another state using his UK license, but had to put down his US address as his residence?

lisa67

My Michigan one was taken off me when I switched to a Texas one.

Nutmegger

New York state took away my UK license, and then CT took away my NY license. The UK one I just replaced by saying it was lost!