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Driving in the United States

 

 

You must have a driver’s license and car insurance to drive in the United States.   Driving without a valid driver’s license and failure to have automobile insurance are both violations of the law. Your international driver’s license authorizes you to drive in the United States for one year, but local laws and driving procedures may be very different from those in your home country.  It is advisable to enroll in a driver’s education course or safe driving course prior to operating a motor vehicle in the United States.  You may also wish to obtain a Georgia driver’s license or state identification card.  You will need to take a written test and a driving test in order to obtain your Georgia driver’s license, and there is a fee involved.   For general driver’s license information, for locations of the driver’s license office nearest you, to view a driver’s license manual or for fee information, please go to the Georgia Department of Driver Services website.

 

You will need to need the take the following items with you to the driver’s license office when applying for a driver’s license:

 

  1. Passport
  2. I-20
  3. I-94
  4. Two forms of legal documents with your name and address on them (such as a bank statement or electric bill)  Click here for a list of the things the DDS will accept.
  5. Social Security card – OR – a letter of denial from the Social Security Administration.

 

If you do not have a Social Security card, you will need to apply for one before you can even apply for a driver’s license. If the Social Security Administration denies your application for a social security number, get a letter of denial from them. You can use this to apply for your driver’s license.

 

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE FROM YOUR COUNTRY, YOU MAY NOT NEED A GEORGIA DRIVER’S LICENSE!

 

There are some problems with this option.

 

1)       The average police officer may not be familiar with this particular provision of law.

2)       Not having a valid Georgia driver’s license will make the cost of automobile insurance higher. 

 

What this means – a summary.

 

In short, YOU DO NOT NEED TO GET A GEORGIA DRIVER’S LICENSE as long as you have a valid driver’s license in your country, are registered as a student at GPC, and have paid your tuition for that semester.

 

What you should do if you decide not to get a Georgia driver’s license.

 

If you have a driver’s license of a classification that would allow you  to drive your car in your country,  then you should have the following things in your car whenever you drive:

 

1)       Your foreign driver’s license

2)       Your GPC student ID card

3)       Proof of payment of tuition for the current semester, and

4)     A print out of the gray box below to show any police officer who may not understand this law. .

 

The specific law can be found on page 147 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/GaCode/Title40.pdf

Text Box: 40-5-21(b) O.C.G.A. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Code Section 40-5-20 or subsection (a) of this Code section, a nonresident of this state who is attending a school in this state shall be exempt from the driver's licensing requirements of this chapter if and only if: (1) He or she is at least 16 years of age and has in his or her immediate possession a valid license issued to him or her in his or her home state or country; provided, however, that any restrictions which would apply to a Georgia driver's license as a matter of law would apply to the privilege afforded to the out-of-state license; and (2) He or she is currently enrolled in a school in this state, has paid for the current period of enrollment the tuition charged by the school to nonresidents of Georgia, and has in his or her possession proof of payment of such tuition for such current period of enrollment.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


You can still get an official State of Georgia ID card from the Department of Driver Services. A State ID will make things much easier for you, such as getting a bank account, renting an apartment, etc…

 

 

Things to remember when driving in the US…

 

While driving, it is important to obey all traffic laws, speed limits, and posted signs.  If you break the law and are spotted by the police, the police officer will indicate that you need to pull over by turning on a siren and by flashing the car’s blue lights. 

 

As soon as you can do so safely, pull over to the side of the road without impeding the flow of traffic, or turn into a parking lot.  Do not get out of your car.  Park and roll down the window when the officer approaches, and remain courteous, even if you are angry or puzzled about why you were pulled over. 

 

You will need to provide the officer with your driver’s license, proof of auto insurance, and the car’s registration, but wait until the police officer asks you for these items before reaching into the your glove compartment, purse or wallet to retrieve them.   

 

If you are issued a citation (ticket), you will probably be subject to a fine and may be required to appear in traffic court.  If you are issued a warning, you will not need to appear in court or pay a fine, and you should thank the officer for only issuing you a warning. 

 

Accidents

If you are involved in an accident involving another car, call 911 immediately and alert them to the need for an ambulance if you or other passengers are injured.  It is best to avoid a confrontation with the other driver, so it might be a good idea to avoid speaking to the driver until the police officer arrives.  If the accident is serious or involves a lot of damage, your insurance company will need to be notified, and you could be subject to an increase in your insurance premium.