Did you have to surrender your UK/home country licence?

[Cécy 44]

In NC I didn't have to surrender my French driving license. I had to take the written and driving test though >.< But the agent who had me do it was super nice and I guess he knew it didn't really matter and just had me drive in a residential area. So easy compare to France.

I read that you have to surrender it in Georgia though has said above... not cool.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It is against State law in Georgia if you are resident here to hold more than one State identification or State driver's license, and you have a specified amount of time in which to transfer your previous license to a Georgia one. I had to surrender my Ontario Driver's License before they would issue me my Georgia Driver's License. If I had moved here from another State then they would have just done a switch - I hand in my previous DL and get a Georgia DL. Since I was from a foreign country I had to redo the driver's written test and driving test both.

For those who keep driver's licenses from other countries . . . I wonder if you may be taking a risk re: establishing residency in the US. I know for Ontario that you have to have Ontario residency to maintain the license and if you are retaining residency in Ontario, you may have to prove to the US that you have severed residential ties with your home country. Just a concern that comes to mind.

[Anna C. 4]

It's not a risk to keep your license, that's like it would be a risk to keep my passport!!!! I wonder though which Californian DMV bozos made some people surrender their license, I was told their is no such law (San Mateo DMV, also, there is no such information in the handbook). Also, as to proving residency: a mortgage, car insurance and paying taxes to the US should be sufficient to establish permanent residency!!!!

For most Europeans the DL is something costy and not primarily used for identification, like Germany has ID cards that have to be renewed every 5-10 years depending on age. DL's never ever expire. My parents are driving around with their GDR DL's.

[Dr_LHA 3]

It is against State law in Georgia if you are resident here to hold more than one State identification or State driver's license, and you have a specified amount of time in which to transfer your previous license to a Georgia one. I had to surrender my Ontario Driver's License ....

Since when was Ontario a State on America?

[TinTin and Samby 11]

yeah, I know but i was more commenting on the fact the Dr_LHA made it sound that giving up your old license would make you forgot how to drive or something

Clearly I didn't mean that. My point is that you if you don't get any benefit from giving up your drivers license, then don't give it up. The rules about people having to give in their old license stems from laws that state its illegal to hold 2 drivers licenses at the same time. These laws basically mean *from 2 different states in America*, and not for foriegners, but given that the laws were most likely written without foreigners in mind, and the DMV is run by morons, then you will get people who at the DMV who insist they have a right to confiscate your foreign license. They don't.

Right on!

[Marilyn. 340]

It's not a risk to keep your license, that's like it would be a risk to keep my passport!!!! I wonder though which Californian DMV bozos made some people surrender their license, I was told their is no such law (San Mateo DMV, also, there is no such information in the handbook). Also, as to proving residency: a mortgage, car insurance and paying taxes to the US should be sufficient to establish permanent residency!!!!

For most Europeans the DL is something costy and not primarily used for identification, like Germany has ID cards that have to be renewed every 5-10 years depending on age. DL's never ever expire. My parents are driving around with their GDR DL's.

actually it is in the California handbook...

If you have an out-of-state, or out-of-country license, or you are renewing a California driver license, you must:

* Be at least 18 years of age.

* Complete all the steps required for a permit. (A temporary license will not be issued if your visual acuity is worse than 20/ 70 in both eyes together.)

* Surrender your valid out-of-state driver license. Your out-of-state license will be invalidated and returned unless you are applying for a commercial license.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs12thru16.htm

[Dr_LHA 3]

As Charlton Heston would say:

"Out of my cold dead hands!!!"

I never showed the California DMV my UK license, and I never will. They have no right to take it, only the UK DVLA does. I don't care what California law states, that doesn't cover documents issued by my home country, I don't recognize their jurisdiction.

[Boiler 43,391]

It is against State law in Georgia if you are resident here to hold more than one State identification or State driver's license, and you have a specified amount of time in which to transfer your previous license to a Georgia one. I had to surrender my Ontario Driver's License ....

Since when was Ontario a State on America?

I was wondering the same thing, I thought we won the War of 1812, burned Washington to the ground etc.

To be techie for a moment you do not lose your license, you lose the document.

Whether it be the proper one or the new Euro ####### ones. If you get a new one, it will be the Euro one.

You can get a duplicate, I have the form somewhere, you will need a UK address to have it sent to.

I had heard such stories as well, so made sure I left it behind when I took my test.

But not a problem.

I carry both with me, I would only use my CO one in State, but it might prove handy out of state. My UK one includes Bikes so I could ride those out of State.

I have also used it when I have been asked for ID in unreasonable situations.

I never carried my UK license with me in the UK, took me some time to find it, you have a week? to show it if stopped by the Police. And there is no national ID either.

Edited July 31, 2007 by Boiler

[Krikit 1,163]

If you have an out-of-state, or out-of-country license, or you are renewing a California driver license, you must:

* Surrender your valid out-of-state driver license. Your out-of-state license will be invalidated and returned unless you are applying for a commercial license.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs12thru16.htm

Technically, it says you have to surrender the out-of-state license.... not the out-of-country license. They appear to have made the distinction between the two because they separate them in the first sentence. I'd hold them to it.

[Anna C. 4]

If you have an out-of-state, or out-of-country license, or you are renewing a California driver license, you must:

* Surrender your valid out-of-state driver license. Your out-of-state license will be invalidated and returned unless you are applying for a commercial license.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs12thru16.htm

Technically, it says you have to surrender the out-of-state license.... not the out-of-country license. They appear to have made the distinction between the two because they separate them in the first sentence. I'd hold them to it.

My thoughts exactly. Also, the DMV person told me that I do not have to surrender my German license, only a e.g. NC or NY license. But just in case for when I take the driving test: ooops, did I just loose my EU DL yesterday? What a pity!

[KarenCee 3]

My husband had to surrender his when he got his license. Here in GA he was given a regular driver's permit...no learner's permit and his current license is good for five years. Not sure why the OP was issued a learner's.

because in some States you have to take the written exam and a road test...

here in California I had to take the written test and then they gave me a learner's permit.... I had to go back a few months later and take the road test and then I got my license...

also about keeping the old license... how would you keep them up to date?? they do expire... don't you need to be a resident of the country to update your license??

bolded and underlined words added by me to clarify

My husband had to 1) wait for his EAD before getting his license and 2) and still had to take the written and road test, even though his Canadian license was current. After doing this he received his driver's permit, good for five years.

[Dr_LHA 3]

My thoughts exactly. Also, the DMV person told me that I do not have to surrender my German license, only a e.g. NC or NY license. But just in case for when I take the driving test: ooops, did I just loose my EU DL yesterday? What a pity!

Yes, I honestly believe they have no right to take a non-US license, and its clearly not illegal to hold a US license and a foriegn license, just to hold 2 licenses from 2 different states.

[Mrs.J06 4]

I had to surrender my German licence to get the WI licence. I did not have to take any test - we just exchanged DLs.

I was informed by the DMV that the German licence will be sent back to Germany, and if I moved back to Germany I could just surrender my WI licence and get the German licence back. This information has been confirmed by the German counterpart of the DMV, also.

Not sure how other countries do it, but that did kind of make sense to me.

[Lansbury 19]

I had to surrender my German licence to get the WI licence. I did not have to take any test - we just exchanged DLs.

I was informed by the DMV that the German licence will be sent back to Germany, and if I moved back to Germany I could just surrender my WI licence and get the German licence back. This information has been confirmed by the German counterpart of the DMV, also.

Not sure how other countries do it, but that did kind of make sense to me.

Here is Oregon they will also exchange a German EU driving licence for a State one, treating it just the same as a US out of state licence. It is the only EU licence they accept in this way with all others you take the written and drive test.

Just for a laugh I pointed out to the manager at the DMV that all EU licences were identical just printed in the language of the issuing country and by not accepting a UK one as they did the German ones they were discriminating against me on grounds of nationality and that was an offence under Oregon anti discrimination laws. It didn't work I still had to take the test.

[Silver 0]

When they took my Uk licence I also had to take both parts of the test (the woman examiner only made me do a quick test as I have held a licence for over 25 years)- they also made me wait until they had confirmed that my greencard was legit by calling immigration (or so they said but I had to wait for 55 minutes while the guy said he was trying to get confirmation) - the driver licence they issued me is only valid for as long as my green card is valid so when I apply to have the conditions lifted on my greencard in 2008 I will also have to renew my driver licence.