# Driving in the US



## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

I recently gave advise on the Forum regarding obtaining a licence and insurance in the USA.
Unfortunately the advise given was out of date as the rules have changed as from 2010.
I am at present in Florida and intended to renew my licence but this is now no longer possible. To obtain a driving licence at present means going a different route fro US citizens and if you pass a test the licence will only last for the length of your visa which is usually 3 months. You will then have to re test on your next entry.
The days of buying a motorhome and touring the US and then reselling appear to be over. Without a valid US licence the insurance quotes are prohibitive. I am over here for 3 months and will be coming back later in the year as I have now bought a property. I did intend renting a car for a week or two and then buying a vehicle but an insurance quote of $1500 for 6 months means it is just as cheap to rent for the period. I can rent a car through long term car hire for $1300 for next 2 months.

Hope this helps.

Tom


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## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

Good Morning tombo5609

I wonder if that means the USA no longer recognises an International Driving Licence?

Do you happen to know the situation in Canada?


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## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

hi tombo, why isnt a uk license good enough? when you hire a car in the us you dont have to take a test do you? regards sean


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Hi 
I have just taken this from the USA embassy site--

Will my British driver's license be adequate for renting a car?
The U.S.A. has an agreement with most countries whereby the renter's full national driving license may be used for a period of up to one year in the U.S.A. This applies to the full U.K. driving license. Provisional licenses are not acceptable. 

Loddy


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## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

My post must have been misleading.

You can still drive and hire a car in US using your UK licence which I am doing at present.
The problem is when you try to buy and insure a car. Previously you could take a driving test in Florida which a 3 yr old could pass and then when taking out insurance your US licence was valid for you take out insurance at the normal rate.
That has now changed. You are classed as an immigrant and have to go for a special licence which only last for the remainder of your visa and then becomes invalid.
Hope that is clearer.

Tom


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

So I can't come to the US buy a RV, tour around for about a year and then export the RV using a UK licence ?

loddy


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

tombo5609 said:


> My post must have been misleading.
> 
> You can still drive and hire a car in US using your UK licence which I am doing at present.
> The problem is when you try to buy and insure a car. Previously you could take a driving test in Florida which a 3 yr old could pass and then when taking out insurance your US licence was valid for you take out insurance at the normal rate.
> ...


But doesn't that vary from state to state? IIRC each state has it's own rules and issues it's own licences.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Tombo5609 is that specific to Florida? I know many States have very different rules for all sorts of things? (The test in New Mexico USED to be four right turns around the Church and come to a stop where you started. Considering a left turn in the USA is the awkward one too!)

If USA wide, then buying in Canada or Mexico would then still give you 12 months in the US on a UK licence?

Jason


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## Photag (May 27, 2008)

*driving in the US*

Bear in mind that there is no federal regulation on driver licensing. Each state sets the reg's.


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## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

Thanks for the feedback.
I have been coming over to US and buying M/Hs for vaction purposes for about 15yrs and it was never a problem. I would buy a vehicle use it for 12 month and then resell it and with a little luck I never lost money. I passed a Florida driving test in 1997 and because I had a US driving licence insurance rates were reasonable.
It is only in the last couple of days that I have found that the rules have changed.
Whether this is only concerns Florida or nationwide I am not sure and will try and find out.
You can still obtain insurance through companys like Progressive and Geico but the rates make your eyes water.
As mentioned in my last post it is nearly as economic now to rent a car for 3 months (which is what I am doing) than make a purchase and insure it.

Tom


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## Pyranha (Jul 4, 2006)

The change in Florida was some years ago, I think - my stepson worked for BA there for a year in 2005/06 and his licence (or license in US) was only valid until the end of his visa - it is because the licence can be used as ID for, for instance, travel between US and Canada so having them expire with your visa improves border security.

Without this rule, you could fly to Canada (which is visa free for UK citizens) and then use your US driver's license to cross the border without going through ESTA.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

tombo5609 said:


> Whether this is only concerns Florida or nationwide I am not sure and will try and find out.


I think that to have ascertained this first before posting, would have been prudent.



tombo5609 said:


> You can still obtain insurance through companys like Progressive and Geico but the rates make your eyes water


That's simply not my experience, and in fact I fly to Florida next week to buy an RV for use in Canada & the US later in the year. My insurance is already lined up at a perfectly reasonable rate, using a UK driving licence. I already ascertained that there is little difference to the premium whether or not I have a foreign driving licence.



tombo5609 said:


> The days of buying a motorhome and touring the US and then reselling appear to be over. Without a valid US licence the insurance quotes are prohibitive


That's just not the case. It may be that your insurance agent has not provided you with what you consider to be realistic quotation, but having spent a lot of time recently researching (amongst lots of other things) the issue of insuring and using an RV in the US & Canada on a UK driving licence, I am quite happy with what I'll be paying (around $1,200 for a 38ft RV).

Dougie.


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## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Dougie,
That is interesting as the best quote I got was not for a M/H but a small car and the best quote I could get was $1500 and that was just using basic state minimum for 6 months which is a bit risky. If I stated that I had a US licence then this came down to less than $500 so the difference is the issuing country for the licence.

I used to insure my M/H with Gilbert RV insurers for $450 with 6 month use and 6 month layup.

I am going to arrange to have a driving test for a US licence later next week but I will have to go through the same process in 6 months when I return. There is always the possibility that I may fail to pass then it is back to square 1.

Tom


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Tombo and Dougie.
Florida and Arizona have limited the length of any driving license to your I-94 for some time now. At least since 1995 in AZ.

I fly to AZ next week to try and renew my Montana driving license there. I have to undergo a medical and eye test stateside and submit some documentary evidence I still 'reside' in Montana.

It should be interesting to see if the renewal comes through OK. If not any US vehicle insurance will double as a result.

Ray.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

raynipper said:


> Florida and Arizona have limited the length of any driving license to your I-94 for some time now. At least since 1995 in AZ


I hadn't considered the I-94 issue as we have 10-year visas so the matter never arose.

Good luck with your endeavours, Ray.

Dougie.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Dougie.
But I think you will find each time you enter the states you will get the end of your immigration form attached to your passport. There are two colours to the i-94 depending on which visa.

This card will probably have your expected leaving date or the limit of your stay stamped on it. With the B1-B2 10 year visa this can be up to six months but will be used to determine the expiry of any FL or AZ driving license.

My next problem is getting all the forms printed out on the American size odd paper. They don't use A4 and if I sent in my application and medical on A4 it would trigger an extra manual check.

Ray.


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## Auldgadgey (Jan 25, 2009)

*USA Insurance*

Happy New Year to All
My threepence worth: - I bought a bike in Nevada last year and presenly have it stored in Colorado. The insurance was provided by Progressive and came out at $94 for the year, when I told them that I had a UK licence they added $40. I took that as being very reasonable. 
Did three thousand miles round the north west states with my mate Don (see avatar) in Oct 10 and plan to return to tour the south west and Mexico this spring.

Cheers
Tony

PS Last saw Tombo in Coblenz summer 09!


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