PANUK

In Maine a UK license is valid for 12 months apparently. However the person that told me that (someone I spoke on the telephone to at the BMV) also said I didn't need to do a road test.

Took (and passed yippee) my written today and yep I need to do the road test as well.

Better make sure I unlearn 30 years of bad habits quickly!!

Bob

Aye, 12 months, but getting insurance past the 6 month mark was a problem, though Concord would insure you and were very cheap too when we were there.

Road test is a joke, but it'll be simpler in a built up area, when I did it, in the middle of no where, the examiner had travelled a hour from Bangor, and I was the only one to do the test as everyone else had cancelled, it was a day after a 6foot blizzard.

So she wasn't impressed and instead of being a two min test, we drove around for 20 mins.

She marked me down for a minor fault when doing the 50 foot reverse as I didn't go in a straight line, I followed the snow bank. When asked why I got marked down as I would have hit the bank if I didn't swerve, she said I would have failed if I had crashed

sir_eccles

AZ, you will have to do eye test, computer based multi choice test (read the manual on the website), quick practical test involving three point turn within some cones and a trip around the block (may vary depending on test location).

PANUK

"When asked why I got marked down as I would have hit the bank if I didn't swerve, she said I would have failed if I had crashed "

Wow - I guess she really wasn't happy!!

The insurance doesn't seem to be a problem at the moment thought I've only just been put on the insurance!

My better half just raised a point - I was given an 'instructional permit' when I passed my written test - so now I have a full UK license which is still good until January and a permit that says I need to have someone in the car with me!

Is there a possible problem here?

Many thanks

Paul

Bob

Well on the plus side, with so much snow on the road, I wasn't able to speed if I tried as I wasn't able to get above 10mph at the time

And for you, no. You don't need a driver with you on the permit, that's for those who are under 18 that moved from another state who need to take the full test as you need 3 years driving experience to swap a out of state license in Maine, or you did when I lived there.

pTeronaut

In Indiana, my test was a joke, aside from the eye test, and the multiple choice (which I failed the 1st time around, and got the same eye test for the 2nd go), the driving part was just driving around a couple of blocks, chatting to the examiner, no reversing or parking aside from leaving the parking bay in the mall that the DMV is locating in..

Britishbees

Just to let you know that you do not need a SSN to get your AZ driving licence. I registered all the paperwork, did all the tests and a SSN was not required

Eeteet

I'm on my wife's AAA indefinately and they are fine with my UK license the last year I have been visiting under VWP.

I'm going over next week with the envelope and visa in passport, for 5 weeks then coming back here (hopefully green card and SSN will have been sent by then) to sort out last bits and pieces and stuff. Should then be going back to USA permanently by Xmas. Not too fussed about green card as I know you can travel back and forth with the temp visa, do you think it's ok to wait on driving license until I go back next time, as I am fully insured on UK license ?

cheers

Bob

You're insured as a visitor. Once you enter and get the GC, you won't be a visitor. So ask them and see.

PANUK

Just out of interest I checked with the DVLA the validity of UK licenses once resident in the USA and got the following response:

------
I can confirm that the latest issued driving licence will be the valid licence.
Therefore if you obtain an American licence that will be your current licence .
You will be covered to drive for 1 year from date of entry into the country on a valid American licence as a visitor.[/I]
------

So it appears the UK license is valid until you get an American one. This appears to be slightly at odds with what JersyGirl was told elsewhere in the forum but I guess it doesn't really matter once I get my american license which I need to do

ljaw2002uk

But how could the DVLA ever know if you have a US license or not. Silly rule!

Bob

It wouldn't matter, because the UK license wouldn't be valid as soon as you are not ordinarily resident of the UK, which having a visa/greencard would mean you wouldn't be.

A US license is valid for 12 months in the UK.

As soon as you become resident of the UK again, you let the DVLA know, with a new address, and your UK license becomes valid again.

ljaw2002uk

What if your license expires while you are non resident? Do you need to re-take your test if you return to the UK?

Bob

No, you just renew it...you didn't need to retake the rest to renew if you were resident in the UK and this isnt' any different.

If you're over 70 I think you've got to provide a medical note to say you're fit to drive from your GP and you only have to retake the test for certain driving violations where you lose license on penalty points.

JAJ

Untrue.

Lots of people believe this but there is no evidence from the DVLA website or the law that revokes the licence of a GB licence holder (no such thing as a "UK" licence anyway). Lots of people living in Australia with temporary visas use GB licences which they are allowed to do as long as the licence has not expired.