SeeYouLaterAligator

hi there

hoping someone can help. I am looking for information on Purchasing a Car in the USA and driving/insurance while there.

My foreign relative comes to the USA several times a year on a tourist visa and figures it would be easier for them to purchase a car and insure it and drive it when they come over and then store it when they go back to the UK.

Can a foreigner purchase a car, get insurance and use their foreign license to drive it? I've looked on some website but everything says that yes they can drive on their foreign license but I can't find anything about owning their own car/insurance.

Is it possible for a Tourist Visa holder to get a US license then?

Thanks for your help.

Ali

Goodacre

I don't know the answers to all your questions, and the law will vary from state to state. It is certainly OK, though, to drive in the US while on a tourist visa because tourists do it all the time -- you just make sure you have your British driving licence with you; and you make sure that your British insurance covers you for foreign travel, and so on. The tough thing comes with the longer term, and especially getting auto insurance in the US. You can't get insurance online from anyone, I don't think, without a US driving licence -- I tried a good deal back in 2005, though it may have changed. So the way we did it was to find an insurance person who was willing to do this for us and even then, it was on the promise that I would take my NC driving test as soon as possible. So from my experience, driving on a British driving licence was only a temporary solution. Oh -- and the people I bought my car from would not part with it until they'd seen my insurance details, which one also needs for getting the licence plates.

Ray

What State do you visit.............

Bob

Some states allow it, some don't...look up your state dmv....but chances are they could use their UK license...but cost of insurance etc, might be cheaper to rent if all your doing is beaching the car for a long stretch of time.

penguinsix

This might be your best course of action. Unless you are driving every single day, you might not get a lower price (buy car + buy insurance) vs. renting (days you need, damage and liability waivers).

SeeYouLaterAligator

thank you everyone. I guess I have a lot of research to do then. My family member doesnt have an US address and not sure if they would be using mine or not. They spend the max time allowed but over the course of the year and was thinking of getting a motorhome and seeing america.

Not sure what their best action would be then if they cant purchase without an american license.

Bob

like we said, it depends on the state....chances are they could just buy a motor, but getting insurance, that's not over the top expensive could be tough, and then depending on the state, it gets expensive registering the motor, county tax, inspection etc....but as they would be tourists, they probably wouldn't need a US license, just use the UK license...but getting one would help reduce insurance, and if they are able to or not would depend on the state.

scrubbedexpat099

Yep, most here have.

Yep, ditto.

Yep, all States I have seen allow visitors to drive using their in this case UK license, and obviously not a resident which does require a US license after a given variable time limit.

Generally either No, or not much point. In Colorado you would need to wait 90 days and then the VWP would be up anyway, a B2 would allow you to apply but then after takingthe test, getting a license etc you would get it it not that long before it expired, it would be good for the duration of the I-94.

Other States have their own variations.

Obvious soluton is for you to buy it, they pay for it, insure it and then they can use it whilst they are in country and you have a spare when they are not.

Win win

Rete

So you insure and register the car for them under your name and list them on the insurance as a driver. Problem solved.

Patrick Hasler

I remember watching Globe treker (Lonely planet) once and they recomended back packers on tour in the USA purchased a cheap car as an alternative to renting one, so it must be something that can be done, you just sell it before you leave.

Ray

Things have changed since 1971 ....

veronica jayne

Quite a few of my British friends have driven from NY to California (they have great stories to tell!) I thought you had to have an international drivers licence? Maybe not anymore as I am talking about almost 20 years ago

scrubbedexpat099

No such thing as an International Drivers License.

veronica jayne

There used to be, honest Guv!! I remember friends having them to rent a car to drive cross country! Must be a thing of the past!

veronica jayne

OY!!!
The International Driver’s License issued by the International Automobile Association is a translation of a national driver’s license which allows the motorist to drive in different territories without experiencing difficulties with various language barriers. This International Driver’s License is, however, valid only with the original driver’s license. The purpose of the International Driver’s License described in international conventions on Road Traffic and Safety, held in 1923, 1943, 1949 and 1968, established the standards for International Driver’s Licenses.

The style that we carry is very straight forward and easy to understand. The English data is numbered with a foreign language translation adjacent to it for easier comprehension.

An International Driver’s License issued by IAA consists of two parts, a plastic card and a passport-like booklet. The motorist should carry both at all times, along with the original license.

As a security feature, to avoid any forgery of INTERNATIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSE, is the Security Shield Hologram that covers each card. It protects the card, prolongs its life and also eliminates any possibilities of counterfeiting.

We also keep a database of all our members which is securely located on our web page. The person who obtained International Driver License from us may check their status by entering his or her name in the check your status window.

Some countries do not have organizations like the AAA in the USA that provide its International Driver License only for those who possess a US driver's license. The IAA helps people from those countries overcome any difficulties driving within foreign countries.

Possessing an International Driver's License has many advantages::

1. The International Driver's License is intended to overcome the difficulties you might have while driving a vehicle in another country that may have different language requirements than your own.

On September 19, 1949, the United Nations established the International Driver's License to facilitate the travel of motorists in foreign countries where language barriers create difficulties for both motorists and the police. This document establishes the right for a person to drive in another country when accompanied by an original driver’s license.

2. Another advantage of an International Driver’s License: - There is no official test required because it is a translation of your original driver's license. - It is printed in 8 languages - the six United Nations official languages (English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese) plus German & Japanese.

It's easy to imagine how this might solve your problems. If a police o fficer for some reason stops you, or you need an identification, you can present a both documents - an International Driver License and an Original license- that will be in the appropriate language, or at least can be understood.

Also, an International Driver’s License can be used as identification.

3. If you need to rent a car, it can be valuable as well. In fact, in more than 200 countries you can not rent a car unless you have an International Driver's License. In Europe, travel officials say that "the International Driving Document is more necessary in some countries than others, but it's advised for most."

Whether you travel on BUSINESS, VACATION or on your HONEYMOON, the International Driver’s License is recommended by most countries and mandated by many for driving. This valuable document is valid for 10 years.

Your International Driver’s License MUST be accompanied at all times by your original valid driver's license. You are not allowed to present IDL as the main document because it is only a translation of your original driver's license.