Drivers License in Wisconsin

[Wis-Can 0]

For any VJer's coming to Wisconsin...I had no problems getting my social security number..got it already but the drivers license is another story. They acutally make you do the written test and once you pass that then you have to make an appointment to have a driving test. Too funny, been driving for 25 years! They told me the only country that can walk in and just trade-in their drivers license is Germany. What the....you would at least think it would be country where the first language was english. Ok I vented! LOL I just thought it was odd. Oh well, small price to pay for being with my sweetie. I'll have to go do that next week.

So this leads me to wonder what the other states have for "rules" on changing you license. Thought it would be interesting to find out...anyone else have to do it all over again??

[Sal and Jay 2]

For any VJer's coming to Wisconsin...I had no problems getting my social security number..got it already but the drivers license is another story. They acutally make you do the written test and once you pass that then you have to make an appointment to have a driving test. Too funny, been driving for 25 years! They told me the only country that can walk in and just trade-in their drivers license is Germany. What the....you would at least think it would be country where the first language was english. Ok I vented! LOL I just thought it was odd. Oh well, small price to pay for being with my sweetie. I'll have to go do that next week.

So this leads me to wonder what the other states have for "rules" on changing you license. Thought it would be interesting to find out...anyone else have to do it all over again??

I had been driving in the uk for 30 years and still had to sit the written and road test in Alabama. But saying that it was far easier than the uk testing.

Edited October 20, 2009 by Sal and Jay

[Mrs.J06 4]

For any VJer's coming to Wisconsin...I had no problems getting my social security number..got it already but the drivers license is another story. They acutally make you do the written test and once you pass that then you have to make an appointment to have a driving test. Too funny, been driving for 25 years! They told me the only country that can walk in and just trade-in their drivers license is Germany. What the....you would at least think it would be country where the first language was english. Ok I vented! LOL I just thought it was odd. Oh well, small price to pay for being with my sweetie. I'll have to go do that next week.

So this leads me to wonder what the other states have for "rules" on changing you license. Thought it would be interesting to find out...anyone else have to do it all over again??

I "traded in" my German license, but was told they (WI) would honor the Canadian licenses, too. Why don't you check another DMV?

[Wis-Can 0]

For any VJer's coming to Wisconsin...I had no problems getting my social security number..got it already but the drivers license is another story. They acutally make you do the written test and once you pass that then you have to make an appointment to have a driving test. Too funny, been driving for 25 years! They told me the only country that can walk in and just trade-in their drivers license is Germany. What the....you would at least think it would be country where the first language was english. Ok I vented! LOL I just thought it was odd. Oh well, small price to pay for being with my sweetie. I'll have to go do that next week.

So this leads me to wonder what the other states have for "rules" on changing you license. Thought it would be interesting to find out...anyone else have to do it all over again??

I "traded in" my German license, but was told they (WI) would honor the Canadian licenses, too. Why don't you check another DMV?

Good point, I will check with another office. THANKS

[Marilyn. 340]

in California you have to do it all over again....

[Wade+Kristin 0]

I've been checking the rules for Washington as well, and I got to redo my lisence too. I've been driving for 12 years so it feels... amusing to redo it I guess. Oh well, I guess it could be worse. The cost for getting a new license is far from the actual cost in Norway. Here they want an arm and a leg for it

[lechatnoir 0]

My husband had to do it in Virginia as well. It says in the driving manual that only a few countries of origin can bypass taking the tests... Germany was one of them. My husband is from Denmark and I was like... its right next door! So, I think its very normal that you have do that.

They were very leniant on my husband though when he did the road test, they asked him how many years he had been driving and then he basically just had to drive around the block....

[mitch.snyder 0]

Oh my goodness!! I'm so glad you posted this!! I've been wondering about my DL for a bit now! I'm moving down to WI in May of next year (hopefully!) so I'm really glad to see someone else has gone through it!!! Let's be honest how many people move to Wisconsin? I love it there though!

anyways! Thanks for sharing your advice!

[Mrs.J06 4]

For any VJer's coming to Wisconsin...I had no problems getting my social security number..got it already but the drivers license is another story. They acutally make you do the written test and once you pass that then you have to make an appointment to have a driving test. Too funny, been driving for 25 years! They told me the only country that can walk in and just trade-in their drivers license is Germany. What the....you would at least think it would be country where the first language was english. Ok I vented! LOL I just thought it was odd. Oh well, small price to pay for being with my sweetie. I'll have to go do that next week.

So this leads me to wonder what the other states have for "rules" on changing you license. Thought it would be interesting to find out...anyone else have to do it all over again??

I "traded in" my German license, but was told they (WI) would honor the Canadian licenses, too. Why don't you check another DMV?

Good point, I will check with another office. THANKS

Good luck! Each DMV seems to follow different rules here... I went to Menomonie (Dunn County) and that's where the officer told me about the Canadian licenses

Oh my goodness!! I'm so glad you posted this!! I've been wondering about my DL for a bit now! I'm moving down to WI in May of next year (hopefully!) so I'm really glad to see someone else has gone through it!!! Let's be honest how many people move to Wisconsin? I love it there though!

anyways! Thanks for sharing your advice!

Good timing - by May it will be beautiful again. I love the spring and summer here, winter is... well... a little too long for my taste!

[New Beginnings 32]

MN required my husband to do the written and road test. He had his license from Morocco and that allowed him to drive in MN for 60 days while he was obtaining the license.

MN has some crazy new rule regarding the translated documents you submit so make sure you check with the DMV's before you go to see if they also have requirements that need to be met.

[mitch.snyder 0]

"Good timing - by May it will be beautiful again. I love the spring and summer here, winter is... well... a little too long for my taste!"

Well... I am coming from Canada so we're used to cold!!!

[bevray 0]

"Good timing - by May it will be beautiful again. I love the spring and summer here, winter is... well... a little too long for my taste!"

Well... I am coming from Canada so we're used to cold!!!

I had been driving for over 25 years in central london and had to take my test in reedsburg WI. This was the day after a big snow storm and the instructor just made me drive around without worrying too much about parking or emergency stops etc. The one thing he did point out was you must stop completely at the stop signs and not slow down and coast like we do once we develop bad habits over the years. Good Luck, Wisconsin is great and the people here are so friendly and helpful.

[morretti 0]

I had been driving for over 25 years in central London and had to take my test in reedsburg WI. This was the day after a big snow storm and the instructor just made me drive around without worrying too much about parking or emergency stops etc. The one thing he did point out was you must stop completely at the stop signs and not slow down and coast like we do once we develop bad habits over the years. Good Luck, Wisconsin is great and the people here are so friendly and helpful.

Hi, I'm in Wisconsin too. The DMV in West Bend have told my husband that I can drive here on my UK license for 1 year. I've read so many stories of people getting into trouble for not holding a US license and being given the wrong information from DMV's that I'm not sure what to believe. The way things read to me, is that in WI you can drive on your UK license for 1 year if a tourist, which I'm not as I have a CR1/IR1 visa. I got hubby to recheck and they insist I can drive here on my UK license. Has anyone been told or know any different?

Thanks

[Captain Oates 911]

I got my first US driver's license in West Bend Wisconsin too ! We lived at Hubertus a few miles South

- and I got married there on Elm Street ! (I know. It's not funny - I have been told it's not funny)

They warned me about looking over my shoulder but I had been trained to use mirrors so I didn't much. Because of that she said I had barely passed but she had never seen anyone parallel park so well. I used to park in Paris through work so it was a piece of cake in West Bend

I traded the license for a Florida one and then for a Washington State one. No tests. I know all States don't reciprocate fully.

I took my test after a month or so because the insurance company (State Farm) made it a condition

[Mrs.J06 4]

I had been driving for over 25 years in central London and had to take my test in reedsburg WI. This was the day after a big snow storm and the instructor just made me drive around without worrying too much about parking or emergency stops etc. The one thing he did point out was you must stop completely at the stop signs and not slow down and coast like we do once we develop bad habits over the years. Good Luck, Wisconsin is great and the people here are so friendly and helpful.

Hi, I'm in Wisconsin too. The DMV in West Bend have told my husband that I can drive here on my UK license for 1 year. I've read so many stories of people getting into trouble for not holding a US license and being given the wrong information from DMV's that I'm not sure what to believe. The way things read to me, is that in WI you can drive on your UK license for 1 year if a tourist, which I'm not as I have a CR1/IR1 visa. I got hubby to recheck and they insist I can drive here on my UK license. Has anyone been told or know any different?

Thanks

Seems like this is correct, see here:

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drive...ply/foreign.htm