Itwillrain

Hello.

I am moving to Florida on L1 visa. First few months will be very hectic there. So I was thinking that I should obtain an International Driving Permit in the UK. This will allow me to drive in Florida for 1 years (without obtaining the US license). Is my understanding correct? Also, what implications can it have (e.g, higher insurance cost)?

Thank you.

Pulaski

An IDP is nothing but a translation of your UK licence, and as most Americans speak a decent approximation of English an IDP is entirely unnecessary, and also bestows no rights to drive that you don't already have courtesy of your UK licence.

But the big matter is that you can drive for 12 months in the US on your UK licence as a visitor, but once you arrive in Florida to live and for work you will be classed as a resident, and therefore you will be required to get a Florida license within 30 days of arriving in Florida. This may, or may not, be realistic (I don't know how the pandemic turmoil has affected waiting lists/ times - but if you can't get a test locally within a few weeks, try looking at test centers out in more rural areas, as commonly the waiting times are shorter. When I took my test (not in Florida) I was offered an "earliest date" locally, 10 weeks later, but I found a center out in the boonies where I was able to take my test the following week. If for whatever reason you can't book a test date within 30 days then book the earliest date you can, and be sure to carry evidence that you have a test booked in the (unlikely) event that you are asked why you don't have an FL license yet?

The good news is that even compared to most US states, where the driving test is ridiculously easy, the test in Florida is, by all accounts I have ever heard, an utter joke - which explains why the standard of driving there is so atrocious.

Download yourself a copy of the Florida drivers' manual from the Florida DMV web site, and read that - the written test probably has a few things that could trip you up, such as the drink driving and blood alcohol rules, and rules for driving near school buses, but otherwise the test isn't anything to stress about, so get it out of the way as soon as you can.

Noorah101

You'll most likely have higher insurance cost due to having no US driving history.

Rene

RICH

Just get the FL test done asap. <snip> Not having a FL license will be a problem for other reasons, like buying alcohol (and insurance as mentioned above)

Itwillrain

Thank you for such a detailed and well explained feedback.

PetrifiedExPat

Can attest that MA and NH have far stricter driving tests than FL, however, they are also laughably stupid (by our British standards). OP should just book one asap, will be easy as you suggest!