goldenlobster

Err... perhaps I have severe testophobia?

I have a better idea... perhaps I should stay in the UK and stop asking legitimate questions on forums where people have nothing better to do than be judgemental when they don't know all the facts.

AdobePinon

A permit is not a license. There are better criteria for selecting a state in which to live.

AmerLisa

Your choice....

I think I've asked a legitimate question. If you choose not to answer, that's your choice.

ian-mstm

Did you see this bit (http://drlic.kytc.ky.gov/non_us/non_us_ctzns.htm):

Testing

• All non U.S. citizens applying for a first time Kentucky license, with the exception of permanent residents, are required to take the written, vision and road tests. This includes transfer driver's holding a valid license from another state or country. Driver's holding a valid out of state license, or a valid license from a Geneva Compact country, will not be required to hold a permit. Non U.S. citizens already licensed in Kentucky are not required to retest but they must be approved by Division of Driver Licensing.

If you are already a PR, you aren't "required to take the written, vision and road tests". The usual caveat applies = just because it's written, it doesn't follow that they'll do what it says!

Ian

goldenlobster

I have a hard time taking tests and not just driving tests. Driving isn't the problem, it's the actual process of being tested which causes me to have panic attacks.

I didn't really want to get into my reasons but since you asked I thought I would provide you with an answer.

I could attempt a test but if i'm honest i'm scared to because I tend to throw up when I have a bad panic attack.

I have no problem driving (even on the wrong side of the road) and tests are the only thing that seem to bring this on. Any kind of test in an enclosed space like a car sets me off.

AmerLisa

Good luck and hopefully you can find someone to help you with your anxiety. Its really much harder in the UK than over here.

goldenlobster

Thanks... I missed the bit about being for a permit.

I've selected several states based on other factors and I just want to see which ones (if any) don't require me to take a driving test.

goldenlobster

Passing a driving test at the moment would be quite difficult for me and I do plan on getting some help once i'm in the US.

meauxna

Actually, that reason makes me empathize with you and want to help you. As opposed to your prickly way about it before.

I have never heard of a US state that will switch a UK license for a local one. Probably something to do with the whole driving on the other side of the road thing. I have only ever seen Germany and Canada as acceptable for trading in.

I HAVE however, seen about a 1001 posts here about how simple the driving test is compared to the UK one. I'd imagine that if you passed a UK test, you too will find the US one to be very un-test-like.
Good luck.

helwardman

I switched my UK license for a Louisiana license....no testing of any kind involved.

GeoffM

A friend of mine moved to Indiana a couple of years ago. After showing his UK license to the examiner he literally drove around the block and parked back at the test centre 5 minutes later. That was it. No guarantee that an examiner would be equally as leniant in Indiana in future though.

TimNiceBut

Same here, I've got issues with taking tests as well but not as bad as the OP. But I can very much relate to this as I tend to fail tests if I don't massively overstudy simply because I suddenly can't remember what I'm supposed to do.

I did look into this as I found someone on a German forum referring to this (I'm German but I've lived in the UK for quite some time) and there doesn't seem to be a similar provision for a UK license anywhere and especially not here in NV. As a result I got to take multiple tests (car and motorcycle) even though I did take the MSF course for experienced riders instead of booking a motorcycle test.

I've never taken a car test in the UK but I got to take my motorcycle test there twice (once for the 33bhp test, the second time to get the restriction removed). The US car test was a walk in the park in comparison even though I was using the 'wrong' car (I had to use my Corvette instead of my wife's Cherokee as I hadn't got around to fixing an issue with the Cherokee in time, and the Corvette's rear visibility leaves a lot to be desired for a driving test).

Took about 20 minutes driving around Carson City and one attempt at parallel parking (with the tester complaining that I was parked too close to the car in front because I parked at the distance I would park outside my house in the UK ) to get the license. I really was much, much easier than in Germany.

meauxna

Thanks for the info, another reason to love Louisiana.
When was this? I see that it's not really spelled out on their website. "Any foreign driver's license must be accompanied by proper immigration document. "Any foreign driver's license must be accompanied by proper immigration document"

helwardman

I did that in early 2008.
I went to the DMV fully intending to have to sit both the written and practical tests, but when I explained my situation they simply issued me a Louisiana license. I'm not sure if that was a mistake on their part or not.

EricK

Two friends of mine moved to CT in 2006 - they showed their UK licenses to the DMV who advised they had to take the road test - an appointment was scheduled, however on the day when they turned up the examiner decided they didn't need to go out on the road and issued them with a CT license.

I moved here this year, did the same thing at the same test centre, however did have to go out on the road. I think it might be luck of the draw as to which examiner you see on the day in a lot of cases rather than individual States having a policy of waiving the test.