BritishGuy36

.....which up until then had seemed to be perpetually engaged.

Interesting replies to my questions:

You CAN take the test in a rental car, as long as you have proof of insurance (not sure in what form that proof needs to be)

I MUST take the test within 30 days of arrival

I can use a Bank Statement as proof of address (as I won't have any of the usual things, mortgage statement, rental agreement, utility bills etc)

The license will be unrestricted.

~~~~~

But these are the answers that the BMV head office in Columbus gave me.....who knows if the BMV office out in the sticks will know what they are doing....

clarissageo

Do you have to do the written and the actual driving test, or do they take into account that you have X amount of years physically driving in the UK (in a proper car with gears)

MsElui

we took our test in a rental car (in columbus) with only one issue. The first rental we had had not had its licence stickers updated so it was showing an expired date and they refused to take us round in it. We had to go sort that out and come back another day with a new hire car that was correctly ticketed. (we just hadnt noticed the sticker and it had expired a good 6-8 weeks before then!). I dont think we showed any other docs relating to the hire car at all.

As I remember we just turned up to the office one day with our uk licences, ssn numbers, something with an address on it (but cant remember what) and passports etc and took the theory test on the spot (there were a whole bank of computers to do it on). We would have gone onto take the practical then as well except the examiners were fully booked. so we booked another day and came back (had the above issue- so rebooked and came back and did it all fine).

The only other snag we had - and i dont think it applies to you as your on a different status - was when we took the pass document to the licence office to get the actual licence - they wouldnt do it until my husband could produce a letter from his company on headed paper stating they employed him and he was on an L1A visa etc. Once we had that there was no issue!

tamms_1965

Hubby didn't take his (in Ohio) for 6 months after we got married. My insurance company said he had a year on his euro license. He took his green card, SSN, passport....I think that's it. He took my car, so no problem.

BritishGuy36

This is interesting stuff...the kind of replies I was hoping for.

a) The BMV says you only have 30 days after taking up residency. I guess one needs to specify what 'residency' means in this context. The insurance company may have said he's insured, but I'm pretty sure if one is driving illegally, that automatically nullifies any insurance.

b) They told me I didn't need to show an SSN, as I won't have been assigned one at the time of taking the test.

c) Can I ask if he drove himself to the testing centre, or did someone else have to drive him there? My argument is that if you are insured for the vehicle on your foreign license, then it should make no difference.

BritishGuy36

Yeah I am on an IR-1 so instant permission to take the test from day one.

Thanks for the comments.

BritishGuy36

Nope...gotto take both.

Deedee13

gotta take both but its pretty simple.

MsElui

we drove ourselves to the test centre in the rental car. It was pretty likely to have been within 30 days of arrival or close to it though.

tamms_1965

He didn't have a green card for 6 months after he was here, that's why he waited (even though he didn't have to). And, he drove himself to take his test. Our ins. agent is fairly knowledgeable on the law....they deal with 'foreigners' all the time, mainly Europeans. And he was officially added to my ins. when we were married. He was insured before, also, when he visited.

lansbury

Yes the agreement between the UK and the USA is that each of the licenses is valid in the others country for 12 months. Unfortunately some of the individual States don't seem to know that and make their own rules.

I have found the State police are usually the ones with the best knowledge of the acceptance of a foreign license and how long it can be used for.

mellybrown

Ye in Georgia you are supposed to take the test within 30 days - I think hubby took it after about 2 months because he had all the trouble with his UK paper licence

BUT

I AM TAKING MY TEST THIS WEEK WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

well thats if they can fit me in - its fully booked so gonna go in and wait....and wait....and wait probably!

But fingers crossed!

Duncan Roberts

I came in a June and finally got round to doing the test the following Feb. I had a SSN, an EAD and a receipt for mt greencard application. I went in, took the stupid theory test which is more about how long you will loose your license if you do stupid things rather than rules of the road, did the dumb maneuverability test and then drove round the block. Then I had to go to a license bureau and argued with them about the length my license would be granted for and in the end took a limited one based on my EAD then the next time I got one I made them call Columbus to approve the green card receipt as proof I could have a 4 year one. On a side note, if you haven't registered for the selective service and are in the age range for it, they will register you automatically.

Technically within 30 days after becoming resident is the requirement which is stuff like getting a job, enrolling kids in schools, signing a lease or buying a house, that kind of thing. Just make sure you check online for the documents you need. There are 2 sections and you need things from each section, just make sire you have enough for each section.

BritishGuy36

What's that now?

Duncan Roberts

sss.gov. Basically if you're 18-25 you have to register with them in case they have a draft. If you don't it shows bad moral character and messes up any citizenship application you may file for a few years. If you're over 25 then you're OK, unless they change the law!