European driving license in Tennessee?

P

Pan Tau

Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
750
Hello,
my brother in law will come to the US to work there for at least three years. Everything is prepared, he will fly on wednesday, but we could not find out one thing:

Every state seems to have different regulations concerning the driving licenses. We had contact to different offices and got different answers.
We heard:

version one:
He will have to give away his European driving license and go through the driving test within the first six weeks.

version two:
He can keep his European driving license and will have to pass the test within the first six weeks.

version three:
He can keep the driving license and can get an american driving license without a test if he can prove he had the European license for a certain time and did not have accidents or problems with the police due to his driving.

Does anyone know what it will be like?

We got the last answer from Chicago where he will be the first week and later from time to time. There is a German Consulate there that could help him - there is none in Tennessee. If he gets his driving license in Chicago without a driving test will the authorities in Tennessee accept this license from another state if he lives in Memphis nearly all the time?

plenty of confusion here... :confused: and they say Germany is the land of bureaucracy - more bureauCRAZY in the US if I look at this topic...


But (the positive side-effect) HI products will be 20 US$ cheaper for me in the near future... (he returns every six to ten weeks to Germany and could bring along a knife or two...)

Thanks in advance

Andreas

edited to correct some type-os - and to say "Sorry" I missed to add "OT" to the subject line ...
 
Wish I could help on the details Andreas. Having a license where you reside makes certain things easier. Having a license from Germany means more. The requirements over there are more strict(at least they were when I was in Germany) and the driving privilege taken more seriously. Over here it's pretty easy to get a license. You'd swear that the ability to drive a car is not really a requirement.
Please forgive the sarcasm, but it does seem that way alot of times.
Hope he enjoys his stay over here.:D
 
Welcome to the 50 states of the union. It's like 50 different but slightly similar countries. Chicago is quite different than tennessee. For a US citizen, you can use a license issued in a state to drive in any other state. If you lived in one state, Say Illinois, then you move to Tennessee, You can use your old license and license plates until they expire. (License Plates for a car expire yearly, and must be renewed; While a driver's license is usually god for four years.) When they expire, you would most likely get plates and a license in your new home state.

Basically, driver's license and plates are regulated differently at the state level.

If your bruder-in law is going to be in Chicago for a short time, he might skip the licensing until he is in tennessee.

As for how a person with a work visa obtains a license, You might ask an immigrant or someone here on a work visa...
 
Transfering his license is a pretty straight forward proposition. He should do it in Tennessee if that is going to be his official place of residence. Just let him apply for a new license like everyone else. They will make him take his written exam (learner's permit) and ask him to do a practical road test and vision check. He is going to need his identification papers to start the process, so make sure he has his visa and residency in order first.

You can read about it here:
http://www.state.tn.us/safety/gentips.htm

Just give them a call and let them guide you through it.

n2s
 
Thanks a lot hoghead, ferrous and N2S,
I printed the advice given in the linked page and will read it with him (his English is not the best - but will be better than mine after this three years I guess). - He is an engineer and programmer for software that regulates the flow of things (letters, suitcases, production parts etc.) in postal centers, in airports, on assembly lines and so on - tailormade for the respective project or business - a smart guy with enough English for the job with its specific requirements - but maybe with some problems in dealing with offices and authorities. - He will have some more or less funny stories to tell when he comes back I think :)

Thank you again - especially on behalf of my brother in law Michael,

Andreas
 
All states must honor driver's licenses from another US state.

However, most states (California, New Mexico at least) require that if you are a resident of that state, you get a state license within a certain number of days. I've heard of very few actual cases where this has been enforced, though. If he is stopped by the police and has a problem, they'll likely take the license anyway, maybe with a warning to get one from that state. It helps to be polite (and white :rolleyes: ) in these cases.

Honestly, the easiest thing to do would be to get an Illinois license if the consulate can help him, and if their requirements aren't too stringent (most states seem to be about the same, though many are starting to require more from younger drivers - usually under 18).

That said, the correct thing to do would be to get the licence in Tennessee, if that's where he's going to live. If he's working for a company, perhaps they have a relocation person that could help with the paperwork?
 
When my (now ex)wife arrived in Colorado, all she had to do was take the vision test, show her passport, imigration card (So-called green card), and her German driver license. Different states do things a little different, so it would be best to ask the TN DMV (or whatever they call it there.) She did not have to surrender her German license, as it was not issued in the US. It is (was) however valid for her to drive with for up to 60 days. Hope this helps. I can email my sister, who lives in Bristol, TN, and see if she can find out more.

Bill
 
She did not have to surrender her German license, as it was not issued in the US.
Click to expand...

Hey, that is great news - and sounds logical - it is not allowed to possess two US-licenses at the same time because you could drive with your second if the police takes away the first - right? (Michael will need his German license here when he comes back regularly).
Thank you all.

...Latest development: His company has offered another appartment to him: work is still in Memphis (TN) - and the flat may be in Mississippi ... just another state to deal with - it`s going to be interesting...


Andreas
 
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