nickjs247

So my American wife tells me that when we move to Oregon in February 2019 in order to get a State License I will have to surrender my UK Drivers License - is this true? I get that you have to surrender your previous State's license but why would they want my UK one? I just got a new one valid until 2028!!

What is everyone's experience? I know all states are different..

chawkins99

It appears she is correct. BTW: your UK license is no longer valid if you are no longer resident despite what the expiry date may be.

Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services

Rete

Several people have just gone ahead and taken all the State requirements for a State license and never disclosed that they had a UK license. It is unusual to find a state where a UK license can be exchanged for a state license without having to do the written and then driving test.

Check the department of motor vehicles website for Oregon to find out what you need to do.

MidAtlantic

Not correct. The state has absolutely no right or need to take your UK license.

tom169

NC didn't.

nickjs247

Well if they ask for it my UK License will have just expired or been lost when I apply...

Thanks for the replies everyone

chawkins99

Just posting what is stated on their official web site. There's no way they can prove you even have one so a moot point anyway.

Jack8602

When i took my test, the DMV examiner asked to see my UK one out of curiosity - looked at how young i was in the photo compared to now, laughed and said 'it's pink, how strange' then handed it back.

Rete

Not exactly correct either. If you were to lose your state driver's license due to traffic infractions, drunk driving, impaired driving, you would then still have a valid driver's license even though it is from the UK. Therefore, the state does have a right to ask for your UK license to be surrendered to them as a safeguard against the above scenario.

rpjs

A lot of UK people are reluctant to surrender their British driving licences because getting one in the first place is a lot more difficult than it is in most, if not all US states. However, it's worth noting that just because you've had to give up your plastic DVLA card that doesn't mean that your entitlement to a UK licence has gone away (other than you have to be a UK resident). If the worst came to the worst and OP does have to give up their UK licence to the Oregon DMV, and they later decide to return to the UK to live, all they need to do is apply to the DVLA for a replacement.

zzrmark

Many years of dealing with DVLA taught me that they are one govt dept where it pays to keep hard evidence (as well as your licence) in the event that they mislay some or all of your records because once it's fallen out of their system proving your entitlement is a tad tricky if there is no record!
I printed out my driving record from the DVLA site before I left the UK (although it can be done at any time) for two reasons.
Firstly, as a motorcyclist with various friends who have had their entitlement disappear upon licence renewal, I wanted something in hard print to cover all bases should the need ever arise, same for the LGV class 1 which lapsed at 45 but theoretically only needs a medical to renew it.
Secondly, although I never used it, I had intended to present it as evidence of previous lack of motoring prosecutions when first insuring a vehicle in the US in the hope that it would lower the premiums.

Mr Weeze

lansbury

lansbury

cluedweasel

Just to back this up, same here. I didn't have to hand over my UK license when I got my Oregon one.