State Driver’s License

If you will be driving in the U.S and purchasing a car, it is recommended that you apply for a U.S driver’s license. If you will occasionally rent and drive a car, you can use a valid license from another country, as long as it can be identified as a valid driver’s license if you were stopped by the police. If the license cannot be read by an English-speaking person, it could still be used in conjunction with an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) if one is obtained in your home country prior to coming to the U.S.  However, the IDP alone is not accepted as a license to drive.

In general, the test to obtain a license includes a visual test, a written test with multiple choice questions, and a driving test in a car that takes about 30 minutes or less. Most international visitors feel that obtaining a license in the U.S is much less expensive and much simpler than other countries. In addition, a State Driver’s License is often used as a form of identification because it is an official document with your name and date of birth.