What Is a Driver's License?
A driver's license is a card which allows you to operate a motor vehicle legally. A driver's license is issued by the state in which you live but allows you to drive anywhere in the United States and Canada.
Why Is a Driver's License Important?
It is illegal in the USA to drive a car if you do not have a driver's license. And since public transportation tends to be limited unless you live in a large metropolitan area, owning a car is often a necessity. Many people in the USA do not live in the center of town where there is easier access to public transportation. Instead, many live in the suburbs and commute to work and shopping areas.
You don't need a driver's license just for driving. A driver's license is also the major form of official identification in the USA. If you write a check or use a credit card, you will be asked for your driver's license. For this reason, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or similar state agency will make you a picture identification (ID) card for a fee. This ID is usually identical to a license, but it does not allow you to drive (to find out what you should expect to provide when you arrive at the license office, see step four).
To find your local licensing office, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) is an online resource. Once you find the license authority for your state, you should either download the manual or go to your nearest office and pick one up so you can begin to study for the test.
Steps:
- Get a Social Security Number.
Before you get a license, you need to get a Social Security number. If you don't qualify for a Social Security number you should at least have a tax identification number. In some states, your Social Security Number is your driver's license number.
- Take Driving Lessons.
Before getting a license in the USA it may be a good idea to take driving lessons so you can learn the habits, rules and signs of the American roads. This can give you a boost on the tests you must take to get a license. In some states you will need to take a written exam to attain a learner's permit in order to take driving lessons, if you do not have an international driver's license. You can find out the specific rules for your state pertaining to learner's permits by contacting your local driver's license bureau. Either way, in the long run lessons are worth the extra effort because they will increase your chances of passing your driver's test and will help you be a safer driver.
Once you feel comfortable enough to try the driver's test you should move on to step three.
- Get Insurance.
Every state in the USA and the District of Columbia requires a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to operate a motor vehicle. In many states, you must have insurance just to get your driver's license. Keep in mind most insurance covers a particular car and its driver.
Therefore, if you don't already have a car, getting insurance can be problematic and can put a newcomer into an awkward situation. This is especially true if the person does not have an international driver's license or a learner's permit. Normally you need a license to buy a car, but you can't get a license without insurance, which is based on owning a car. For this reason, some insurance companies have begun to offer "non-owned" insurance policies, which insure a driver but not to a particular car.
If you are buying a car, often the dealer will let you drive the paper work to the insurance company to prove you have a car so you can get it insured. Sometimes a dealer will even let you drive the car you are buying on their insurance as long as you go directly to the insurance company to get it insured.
- Get Your License.
There are some things you will need when you arrive at the driver's license office:
- Fee: You will need the money to pay the license fee (usually around $15) before you will be issued a driver's license.
- Proof of Age: All states require an official form of identification which contains your birth date issued by a U.S. source (although in some states Canadian and Mexican driver's licenses are accepted as well). In most states valid identification includes a valid or recently expired driver's license or ID Card issued by a U.S. State or territory (including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). If you do not have this, two forms of ID verifying your age are often required. These can include your passport and official Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) documents (often excluding I-94).
- A Social Security Card: In many states you will need your Social Security card, or official documents that contain your Social Security number. Such forms often include things like federal tax forms or bank statements.
- Proof of Domicile: In some states you may be asked to provide proof that you are living in the state. Such documentation can include utility bills, vehicle registration or a lease agreement.
- Insurance: In some states you will also be required to show proof of liability insurance.
The Written Test
Next you will need to take a test that usually consists of four major parts:
1. The written test
2. The sign test
3. The vision test
4. The driving test
The tests to get a license, both written and driving, can be tricky.
If the written test is offered in your native language, try to take it. The wording of the questions can sometimes be enough to throw off a nonnative English speaker.
Keep in mind that you are allowed to wear glasses, if you own a pair, during the vision test.
To speed the process along, it is a good idea to bring both your international driver's license and a driver's license from your home country, if you have them. This is because some states may make you wait between your written exam and the driving test if you cannot prove that you have been allowed to drive in your home country.
Finally, if there is a licensing office a little outside of town, it may be easier to do well on the driving section because the test may be given on roads that are less busy.
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