U.k driver, licence holder (rental car, rental, home)

[ladykane]

Hello does anyone know if you can drive in the states on a full u.k licence?

[DanielChang]

Foreign Visitors Driving in the U.S.: USA.gov

Foreign Visitors Driving in the U.S.

Quick facts for foreign visitors about driving in the United States

1. An international driver's license must be obtained from your home country. This permit only verifies that you hold a valid license in your home country. It is your foreign driver's license that allows you to drive in the United States. Contact the authorities in your home country to get an international driving permit, as the United States does NOT issue international driver's licenses to foreign visitors.
2. If you obtain a valid international driver's license from your country of origin before you come to the U.S., you may rent a car and drive before you get your U.S. driver's license.
3. A U.S. driver's license is not a federal document, but it's a permit issued by one of the 50 states' motor vehicle departments. If you're going to reside in the U.S., it may take several months to obtain a U.S. driver's license.
4. Foreign visitors who become U.S. residents can only obtain a driver's license from the state in which they reside. Each state has its own driving rules and regulations. Check with your state's motor vehicles department to find out how to apply.
5. Once you receive your U.S. driver's license from a state motor vehicles department, you will be permitted to drive in all other U.S. states. The laws in each state vary from one to another. It is your responsibility to know and obey the laws of that state while driving.
6. The residency requirement for obtaining a U.S. driver's license varies with each state. Consult the motor vehicles department in your state for more information.
7. If you are a foreign student coming to the U.S. to study, contact the university or college you will attend, as most institutions provide students with driving information and most have websites.
8. The U.S. government has issued warnings about Internet vendors of worthless international driver's licenses. It is important to educate yourself about the dangers of these costly and illegal operations. Here are two resources:
9. • International Driver's License Warning from Federal Trade Commission
   • FTC Targets Sellers Who Deceptively Marketed International Driver's Permits over the Internet and via Spam (http://www.usa.gov/external/external.jsp?url=http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/01/idpfinal.htm - broken link)

[RaleighBoundGeek]

North CArolina doesn't honor International Driver's licenses.

NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: International Driver License (http://www.ncdot.org/DMV/moving/newnc/internationalDL.html - broken link)

[J_Lurk]

There was another thread with the same question recently:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...g-license.html

To summarize: you can use a UK full license to rent a car (though most car rental agencies want you to have had it more than a year), and if you are here temporarily, but if you are living in NC you need to get an NC driver's license.

[mrkennethporter]

Originally Posted by ladykane

Hello does anyone know if you can drive in the states on a full u.k licence?

yes you can. but only as long as your visa is valid.
i know cause I have a UK licence and was OK to drive by the hire companies.

Rental company websites will have the details with out all the jargon

[Mozzer]

Originally Posted by ladykane

Hello does anyone know if you can drive in the states on a full u.k licence?

Yes, you can, as long as you're using a rental car.

If you plan on buying a car, you must establish residency (not difficult) and get a NC Driver's License.

Note: DO NOT BOTHER with getting an International Driver's License. They're pretty much worthless.
I've done extensive travelling, and my NCDL has always been worth much more than an International Driver's License. I don't really know why people would really need them -- commercial drivers over many different countries/continents? Maybe. I remember hearing they were useful in South America, though.
But, you or I, just driving personal type vehicles around -- we don't need 'em.

[ladykane]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm wondering how difficult is it getting use to driving in the wrong side of the car or opposite, and on the opposite side of the road, feeling a bit nervous about it...