Driving in the U.S.

If you wish to drive a car in the United States, you must have a Driver’s License. If you have a license from your home country, this may be acceptable if the document is written in English. All U.S. states recognize foreign driver’s licenses. In most cases, if your international license is up-to-date, it will be valid for up to one year after the date you enter the U.S. Consult the DMV in the state where you wish to drive to confirm the length of validity. Your foreign license is valid if accompanied by your passport.If your foreign license is not written in English, you have two possible options for driving in the U.S.If you already have a license from your home country, the first option is to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you leave. An International Driving Permit translates information contained on your driver’s license into 10 languages so that officials in foreign countries are able to read your license. While an IDP will supplement a valid government-issued license, it is not a replacement for a license.

• You must have both an official license and an IDP if you wish to drive in the United States and carry both with you when driving. If a law enforcement official asks to see your license for any reason, you will need to show both the IDP and your foreign license.
• Please note that the U.S. does not issue IDP’s to foreign visitors, so if this is something you want to obtain, you will need to do so before arriving in the United States.

The second option is to apply for a United State’s Driver’s License once you arrive. You will need to contact the local Department of Motor Vehicles for the state where you will be training to find out whether you are eligible to apply for a U.S. driver’s license. If eligible, you should obtain a copy of that state’s driver’s manual from the DMV so you can learn the state’s driving rules and study for the written and driving test. Ask which documents you need to present to the DMV when applying for a license. The documents required vary by state, but an outline of the process is below:

• Contact InterExchange Career Training USA within 10 days of arriving in the U.S. to activate your SEVIS record.
• Wait at least two business days after your SEVIS record has been activated AND at least 10 days after your actual arrival in the U.S. before applying. This will ensure enough time for your information to be processed through SEVIS and other U.S. Government databases so that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can access it.
• Know what you are applying for and if you are eligible. Visit the DMV website for the U.S. state in which you are living for more information.
• Bring all of your paperwork. When you go to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), please remember all of your paperwork. For most states, this includes:
  • DS-2019 Form
  • A printout of your electronic I-94 record
  • Passport (with visa)
  • Proof of legal presence or residence. What this document is varies from state to state. Check with your state’s DMV to see what they require.
  • Social Security Number (SSN) or a Social Security Administration (SSA) Form SSA-L676, “Refusal to Process SSN Application.” * Please visit the SSA website for more information.
  • Any other documents or information indicated on the DMV website NOTE: This process can take one or two months, so make sure to find a different means of transportation while you try to get a license. For more information, download the DMV fact sheet.