maisymoo1102

Hello there! I was born in Scotland but because of my dad being born and raised in the US, I have access to US citizenship and will be applying for citizenship, and a passport etc before next year, when I'm heading to Tennessee to live with my grandparents. Because of them being pretty rural, I'm needing to learn to drive, but it'll take at least 6 months after I get there to apply for a restricted intermediate driver's license. I was wondering- If I managed to get a full driver's license in the UK by the age of 17 (having paid for all the lessons and my license etc,) can I have my UK driver's license converted into a US driver's license whilst still 17? Or will I be made to apply for a learner's permit, still, for 6 months? Or will I be able to immediately get an intermediate unrestricted driver's license? Thanks for any replies, I've been having a hard time finding answers online.

Noorah101

Your UK license can't be exchanged for a US one. You have to apply from scratch in the USA which means taking a written exam and a road test.

Depending on your age at the time and TN DMV regulations, you may or may not need a learners permit first.

Rene

maisymoo1102

Thanks for the help, appreciate it. Do you think if I have a full-fledged UK driver's license I could take those tests and get a restricted/unrestricted driver's license? I'll be 17 by then and it seems the restricted requires me to be 16 years old, and the unrestricted requires me to be 17.

Thanks!

Noorah101

I don't know personally, as I dont live in TN. I don't know what you mean by restricted/unrestricted. Usually people of a certain age have to get a learners permit first. People over a certain age can get a license directly, without the learners permit, but each state can be different.

this isn't something I'd worry about too much. You'll get what you can get at the age you are when you move here.

Rene

Octang Frye

Maisymoo, the good news is that getting a US driver's license is usually much easier to get than there.
Your mileage may very but there we no hill-starts, parallel parking, three-point turns, J turns for me.
Mind you, I already have a license. Anyway, generally, it's easier. Good luck on your journey. Must be exciting at 16.

BritInParis

"New residents from other countries are required to take full tests: vision screening, knowledge exam, and road skills test. They will be allowed to keep the license issued by that country."

https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-ser...ssd/dlnew.html

There's a lot of weird rules in TN for new drivers under 18 including evidence you are not a high school dropout. If you will be attending high school in TN then it may be wise to attend their drivers ed course to avoid a lot of bureaucracy.

https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/classd.html

I would also get your GB driving licence before you go so it's available to you if you ever return to the UK; it will also make passing any road skills test in the US an absolute breeze.

SpoogleDrummer

I believe the main issue is that in TN if you're under 18 you have to have a drivers permit for 6 months before you can take the test unless you have an out of state license already. So the question appears to be will the TN DMV class a UK license as an out of state license or not, because if not she'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere for 6 months until she can take her test regardless of how well she can drive. Unfortunately I haven't got a clue about the answer, I wouldn't be surprised if the people at the DMV didn't know either.

Brit In TN

I live in TN nowadays. It's been a long time but as I recall,once I had my documentation that I was a legal US resident I went to the local DMV (Dept of Motor Vehicles) showed them my UK licence, told them I was a TN resident and wanted to apply for a TN license and it all flowed fairly smoothly from there. I had to have the vision test, take the written test and driven test (which consisted of about ten minutes driving, four right turns and an unmarked crossroads) and that was it. I believe my UK licence was accepted in lieu of a learner's permit until I took my TN test on the designated date.
So my advice is definitely get your UK licence (which you may want if you go back to live in UK) and once you are landed and legal take your paperwork (and money) along to the DMV and you should be fine.

civilservant

Forget the fact you have a UK DL giving you any benefits in the US with respect to a TN DL, because it won't IMO. You'll have to comply with all the TN regulations regarding your age, mandatory instruction, driving at night etc. There's no way around that.

When in Rome, do as the Romans....

I would suspect not, or at least the people at the DMV not knowing the answer as you say. Depending on the part of TN that the OP is moving too, they may never have seen the situation before.

ddsrph

maisymoo1102

thank you for understanding haha, those are my worries exactly.

maisymoo1102

great! I'll call them now! thanks

maisymoo1102

This sounds really promising, thank you! Especially as a Brit in Tennessee haha, appreciate it.