Driving in the US?
 

I'll be going to the US soon ( i hope :P ) on a fiance visa.

Does anyone have any information, or sites to visit, about driving in the
US. The main thing I seem to have had problems finding out about, is if I
need to 'convert' my UK driving license, or just take a whole new test
there, or, if I can simply drive on my UK one. I'll be initally moving to
Ohio, somewhere around the Cleveland area probably.

Will one of the AA's "International Driving Permits" be any help?

Also any info people have on getting insurance as cheap as possible - ie
companies who may accept my 5 years UK driving experience, instead of
assuming I am a "new driver" and charging me the earth.

Thanks for any help,
Daniel

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Hi Daniel,

Driving license regulations differ from state to state. Your best bet is to read the requirements on the Ohio DMV website. http://bmv.ohio.gov/ol_info.html

Also, there's a huge variety in car insurances. I think the only way to find the cheapest is to call around with your specifics, and get quotes.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Re: Driving in the US?
 

In PR I can drive on my UK license for 120 days all states/territories will vary. I have also seen that as a fiance you are fine, when you become a CPR your Uk license in invalid (this was, i think CA). From what I am learning you will need to take a test.

www.dmv.gov

Insurance not got that far yet.

this should help.
alan

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Most important fact: "Keep to the right"! :)

Re: Driving in the US?
 

hi daniel,
i live in ohio, cincinnati area. i dont know what the bmv is like in cleveland but my wife had one hell of time getting an ID and temporary driving liscense packet. you may drive on your UK liscense for up to one year. i'm sure you can use an international liscense but i dont know the details. once youre married and apply for AOS and EAD you will recieve the notice of actions for applying for that. those are the correct papers you need to show proof of "legal presense". on the bmv website it does not clearly talk about K1 holders. if you have any problems or questions you can email the bmv. thats what i did and i was surprised at the quick and accurate response. the website for the ohio bmv is http://bmv.ohio.gov/bmv.asp
yes you will have to take the whole driving test over. my friend is in the insurance business in ohio and she said to put my wife on insurance without an ohio liscense is very expensive and we should wait till she has the ohio liscense as opposed to her driving on her austrian liscense.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

An International Driving Permit is a translation of a non-English language license. It is not a license itself.

It will serve no purpose since you plan on becoming resident in the US (most states require residents to obtain a US issued license).

Re: Driving in the US?
 

The problem we had that we bought a car almost as soon as we arrived, but to buy a car we had to have insurance, and to get insurance we had to have local driver's licences.

Which meant a trip down to the DMV. hours of waiting, filling in forms, problems 'cos no SS# and, yes, taking the test. The latter was a breeze - once the examiner knew I'd had a UK licence for X # years he didn't really want to know anymore, so we just drove around the block a couple of times.

If possible, make an online or telephone appointment for the DMV - otherwise you might wait hours.

Incidentally, no insurer we came across would even look at our 100% no-claims bonus from Norwich Union! In fact, most insurers would not even look at us at all - we had to go to a special broker for 'difficult-to-insure' cases!!! :(

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Daniel

Did you get your licence? I am sure one can drive on international Licences for upto 6 months and than they have to change to US state licence.

I live in Akron(place near cleveland). BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehilces) requires some kind of proof that your status is legal in United States. This proof can be valid VISA(not expired). Official Receipt(I-797) from USCIS stating that they have recied your application for PR. Now some office dont sent I-797 but they send some(small gocessroy kindof) reciept showing the money you paid for each application.Yes this is an Official receipt same as I-797.

Problems faced at BMV.
They dont consider that small grocessory kindof receipt as receipt. You just need to talk to higher authorities at BMV then.

Good Luck
Achint

Re: Driving in the US?
 

After having a full drivers license for more than 30 years its been terrible being on this learners permit. Especially when I drove here for a couple of years on my foreign license. Checked with authorities here that I could use my NZ one for up to 12 months after entry which I did & when I returned from a vacation home was told my 12 months started all over again when I re-entered. Good huh but then the day came when I finally had to sit for a US one. Going for the actual driving test on the 12th of this month so hope I get a nice examiner that will see by my age that Ive held a overseas license for many years. Have no worries about the driving test, my only concern is getting my car back from my step son who has had sole use of it for the past 2 months!!
Im sure each state has different rules & regulations though so I would look up the BMV site for your area.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

California requires that if you are resident for more than 10 days you have to get a CA license. CA does not recognise a UK license BUT they will give you a temporary license instead of a learners permit due to your UK license, this means you can drive unaccompanied until you take the test and thn also arrive for the test without a qualified driver. The test is both written and practical and it will depend upon the examiner how they view your UK license. My examiner gave me a full 20 minute test and only at the end asked did I drive in another country before the US, so do not think that your UK license will carry any weight with the examiner, it will be a personal view to each examiner.

The bottom line is each state differs as stated by Rene, and sometimes even depends on the office itself. When I passed the test I received a 5 year license even though my EAD was only for a year. I have heard in some states of groups of friends going for a driving license at the same office and each one having different criterias being requested to get their license.

So best of luck and do not worry too much, the test itself is pretty easy, getting to take the test will be the hardest issue LOL.

Patrick

Re: Driving in the US?
 

What Patrick says is correct - in CA, 'Aliens' are given a temporary licence that permits driving until the test. Also true that different DMV offices interpret the rules differently; so if someone hits a brick wall in one office, it almost certainly pays to go to another.

The bottom line is, you just never know what to expect. I think my first licence was valid for only a year or so, but was renewed without problems. When that ran out, I had a fair bit of hassle because 'someone' had misinterpreted the rules and sent a copy of my I-94 to USCIS for 'checking'. In the end I got a 5-year licence - even though my current visa runs out well before then.

I guess DMVs are a bit like insurers - you may have to shop around to get the best deal... ;)

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Can never understand why there’s reluctance by immigrants to get a US license! Get one as soon as possible since it’s used all the time as your primary ID and will start your US driving history rolling.

If a broker tells you s/he can take your foreign driving history into account, they are most probably BS-ing you and you should walk. As a driving baby in the US, you are going to take a hit on high insurance rates. You should possibly consider buying an older, cheaper car for the first couple of years to save on the coverage required. In addition, you should get your credit history rolling as soon as possible since a good credit score will secure the best rates down the line.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

I am terrible at tests took me 6 in the Uk to pass lol hit a wall on the first test.
Thus I am reluctant to get my license here been driving for 14yrs now and not a scratch touch wood each week I say that I am going to do it but never get around to it NEXT WEEK.

What happens if you fail? can you take it agian straight away? or would I be able to use my UK licence still in the meen time.

Whiskers

Re: Driving in the US?
 

You won't fail.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to fail a US driving test.

Trust me!

Re: Driving in the US?
 

If your status still allows you to drive with your UK license, Yes

The US test and the UK test just do not compare, you could probably hit a small wall and pass.

Took me a week to get my test booked but I think there was a Holiday in between, in CO you just keep taking it until you pass.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

It took my hubby 4 attempts to pass the written portion of the test, and that was even in his native language! He just freezes at test time. He finally passed, got his learner's permit, and has taken some behind-the-wheel lessons. Hopefully he'll take the road test soon and get the license! :)

Rene

Re: Driving in the US?
 

I procrastinated plain & simple. I didnt fear the test just the thought of being on a learners permit again after all these years. I love my independence & having lost it for the last couple of months has been harder than I ever imagined it would be. Still at least I finally went ahead with it & this time next week I shall be a fully licensed driver again & one very happy lady to have my independence back again!!

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Dunno how you ever managed without it! I must admit that I occasionally give the poor Walmart cashier one of my stock of non-English licenses just to see his/her reaction when she challenges you for ID after running the AMEX through the reader. Last time I gave one of these (not written in English but obviously a driving license), she said "Oh, you're a long way from Texas, aren’t you?" I replied that it was further than that, across the seas even. She looked at me for a moment and then declared, "Well, you know, I've never seen a Canadian license before."

Apart from times requiring non-drug stimulated amusement, it's much easier to use a local license to blend in.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Are you sure she wasn't winding you up?




NC Penguin

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Positive. And the license was in Cyrillic!

Re: Driving in the US?
 

You can have a bit of fun with a UK 'Euro' one, just wish I had not lost my original paper one.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

C'mon - you are making this up!

Or did this really happen in Mississippi and you're just substituting Texas because Mississippi would be too obvious?

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Nope, not making it up. I live in Arizona, BTW.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Right then I will let you know when I pass, and Boiler those walls just see to appear from nowhere lol.
Whiskers

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Just reminds me of a girl I used to work with a long time ago, she wrote the car off on her test, the Examiner did not pass her as she had not completed the test rather than she had failed it, he did not blame her for the incident.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Just for fun... First time "just visiting" the US, my now husband got carded for beer at the local grocery. They didn't know quite what to make of his UK Driving license!

More seriously, I don't think there's a way of avoiding the insurance evils of being a new driver... Our joint insurance ends up actually being less because of the "married driver" deduction, plus the fact that he, unlike me, has no accidents on his record.

So, maybe getting on the spouse's insurance won't be TOO bad? Check with that first and then go shopping.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

Ours was no problem either, makes a big difference if you are just being added to an existing policy rather than both starting from scratch.

To be fair it seems better coming this way than it would the other.

Re: Driving in the US?
 

[QUOTE=Boiler]Ours was no problem either, makes a big difference if you are just being added to an existing policy rather than both starting from scratch.




Well thats good to know. We have two vehicles so it will be interesting to see which will be the cheaper for me to be listed as the primary driver then. Just hope it doesnt alter the premium to much because I think they are expensive enough as it is. Insurance in NZ was way lower than it is here & I hear that its expensive in the UK too.