Jerseygirl

Strange how many people think they can drive on a foreign license for 12 months no matter what state they live in. Wonder where they would stand insurance wise if they were involved in a RTA?

britinamerica

I stand corrected.

I'm sure I read that somewhere, possibly the DMV website, and it might have been about non-residents driving in the US. I didn't consider myself a *permanent* resident until I got my green card, rightly or wrongly.

Either way, I was well overdue which ever way you look at it!

dh010447

Just to add something new to the discussion. When out of state driving a rental car, is there any reason why I shouldn't use my UK license?

I am guessing I should really use my US one, but if I use my UK one - they cant give me any points for speeding etc and may even be more lenient 'arr - crazy brits'

Jerseygirl

Mmmm dunno about that one. When the cops run your details through the computer if it shows you are a US resident it could be a problem. Don't know whether they ask for your address but if they do that's a problem. Also you would have to take out CDW as your US insurance probably wouldn't cover you...same applies to the insurance supplied by your US CC. Personally I wouldn't risk it.

Bill_S

Pardon the interruption, but can someone tell me why British people seem so attached to their driving licenses? A couple of weeks after I moved to the US I handed over my Ontario license without a second thought. That was in 1993 and I haven't had a moment's regret. Am I missing something?

UK-Trinity

Maybe it has something to do with how hard it is to get one in the first place?

lapin_windstar

The thing is that UK licenses always used to be valid until you were 75, so you passed once and then forgot about it. Also, you can't exchange a US license for a UK one (iirc), so if you move back to the EU, it's just a hassle to send off for a replacement UK one.
Probably because the definition of a "resident" for Wisconsin traffic law purposes is probably different from the federal immigration status of "Permanent Resident". But you'd need to read the law and the case law to be sure, and I haven't done that...or one could just take the Mickey Mouse test in WI and be done with it.

Bob

maybe because you can in some states, you can in texas and in maine...getting insurance is the hassle though and you might as well...also if some are students, they wouldn't be considered residents of the state.

Bob

Canadians can transfer a license and not take the test, us brits do, and get treated as new drivers, so why not keep them? It's not like it is our property to hand over to be destroyed...

dh010447

Would normal US insurance cover CDW in a rental vehicle? And this whole thing about insurance supplied by a credit card - how does that work?

Jerseygirl

If you have CDW on your US insurance policy it should cover you to drive any car in the US...including rentals with CDW. Quite often US car rental companies will try to sell you CDW extra but if you have CDW on your existing policy you should be covered. If in doubt check with your insurance company.

You should check with your CC company as to if and what they cover as some CC companies provide the service and some don't. I use Mastercard and AMEX...both cover me for CDW in the US and overseas if I rent the vehicle using one of these CCs.

fatbrit

A *permanent resident* depends on whose definition. USCIS, IRS, your state, their DMV, etc. all define it differently.

Longy

Yep I thought I had two months - that is what it says on the MVA website, but when I called them up they said not to worry I had a year, the 2 months only applied to people from other states. They basically told me to wait a while because they had just switched from making appointments for people from abroad to just walk in and there were lines outside at 5am everyday and there were only a few slots.

Thing is that a month or two isn't always reasonable, especially as some states have quite a bit of identification required for people from abroad.

Oh and I noticed somebody say earlier that they took the UK licenses in Maryland - they didn't take mine. This was never even hinted at and honestly what would be the point, if I wanted it I could just get another one from the DVLA.

Tricialc

Hi
Just wanted to share my good news - took my test in Maryland today and passed, and they didn't take my UK licence!
They looked at it, but gave it right back.

And yes, it was easy...doesn't stop you worrying beforehand though!

Jerseygirl

Congratulations...karma on its way.