Bob

I couldn't even find my card before leaving *l*
As for my UK drivers license, I never bothered get a new photo one, so i won't be bothered renewing that any time soon

James Box

Is he still renewing his Texas plate? Can't see the advantage in that...

csf

I have been in NYC for 4 years and have driven for the entire time on my old green UK license. For a while I did have an International Permit, which bemused the NYPD even more than the UK license. On two occassions they let me off without a ticket

I would still like to get my NY license though. Does anybody know if the driving classes are still a pre-requisite for taking the test?

Bob

It's got current stickers on it, don't think he goes to texas to get it though...and there's no advantage, he just couldn't be bothered to get a maine plate

Bob

Check the DMV website

britchicknyc

For the actual driving no. You are required to sit through a very dull 4 hour safety class. Usually a LOT shorter though, with many breaks!!!

Bob

You still have to do that? that sucks...

csf

Didn't you check the DMV web site?

Bob

not for NY, I'm in maine, and we don't

csf

Thanks britchicknyc. I'm a little confused though. Looking at the DMV site though, it states one must have "A valid NYS learner permit" to be eligible to take the road test.

Also, "A valid pre-licensing course certificate (MV-278) or a valid driver education certificate (MV-285)."

Do I need the NYS learner permit? Is the 4 hour safety class the same thing as the driver education certificate?

Thanks.

Yosser

I would keep both, I had to hire a car to get back to gatwick on Sunday, when he asked for my driving license, I gave him my Texas one, he looked a bit bewildered, so I told him I still had my old UK license (still folded up about 7 ways in the original plasic wallet), he was alot more happy with that!

Englishmum

Yosser - don't ever do that again!

I rented a car a few weeks ago and one of those blasted GATSO cameras flashed as I was driving in a leafy stretch of road and couldn't see the camera.

I complained about it to my brother-in-law who does a lot of driving in his job. He says that the local police write to the car rental company asking for the driver info - but as I had used my NJ driving licence and not my British one they can't put any points on it and once they see from the hire company that you have an overseas licence (and presumably an overseas address) they don't bother chasing it up. So far I've heard nothing.

I don't know if your UK licence still has a contactable address on it or not but if you're using your British licence to hire a car then the police just may send a fixed penalty notice to the address on it (mine still has my home address as we rent out our house in Essex so the tenants would forward it on) but you might as well use your American licence in the UK...all car rental companies should accept them. The guy must have been a bit thick - thousands of Brits are resident overseas for goodness sake!

elfman

When I lived in Manhattan (last year) I just went along to the DMV and they treated me essentially as if I were a local applying for a license for the very first time. They never asked for my UK license, they made me sit a piss simple test there and then and I walked out with a learner permit (actually I think it might have been a temporary permit and the real one arrived in the post a week or so later). I had to sit through the "five hour safety course" in a seedy room on West 72nd street with copious coffee and donut breaks (Krispy Kreme was opposite) at the end of which we sat another ludicrously simple test, the reward for which was a slip saying I had passed the test that I had to hand over to the examiner at the road test.

I booked a couple of driving lessons, just to make sure I knew what I was doing (even though I'd driven enough rental cars over here), and also so I could take the test in the instructor's (crappy) car.

So there were a few hoops to jump through but it was never the slightest bit taxing.

Ben

Manc, it states on the NYS license website that your international license will be taken off you when you are issued a NYS license. It will be destroyed after 60 days. You can request for it to be returned to you but I have no idea how successful this is.

It also states that if you become a resident of NYS then you have to get a NYS license within 30 days (a resident is defined as someone who has a fixed abode in the state for a period of more than 90 days or with the intention of being in the state with a fixed abode for more than 90 days).

I was wrong on the driving test, though. It has changed and now takes 5 hours! We never had to do this and nor did our british neighbours, but I wonder if this change happened after 9/11 because we sorted our driving licenses out well over 4 years ago.

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/license.htm#driversmoving

Ben

If you have a UK license then you don't need a learners permit, you just need to show your UK license. Look at the website I posted under the international bit, it will give you the info. you need.