renew 2+ year expired CA drivers license (2013, rent, car insurance)

[techcrazy]

Hi everyone,

My CA drivers license expired in November 2010 when my H1B visa expired. After that I moved to India. Now, I have gotten a new H1B visa starting in Oct 2013.

Do I need to give both written test+driving test to renew my old CA license? Can my old CA license be renewed - it has been expired for 2 years 10 months? I currently have a valid Indian drivers license.

I will be working in SF; not sure about my residence. Can I go to any CA DMV or does it have to be nearest to your place of residence.

Thank you

[Bunjee]

I've renewed a license after a multi-year lapse. No road test, just a written test. I believe that was because my record showed zero tickets or citations. You can go to any DMV in the state of California.

[techcrazy]

Thanks Bunjee. Do you remember the time duration for which your license was expired?

[Bunjee]

I think I hadn't renewed for about 5+ years as I was living car light, then car free. So there was no real need and I forgot after a while. Duration really doesn't matter. Driving is a privilege, not a requirement. It's not like tax filing or anything.

[marcopolo666]

On the official web site ( Driver License and Identification (ID) Card Information ) it says (among other things :

If your license has expired, it is illegal for you to drive. There are no late fees to renew your license. While there are no penalties, you may be cited by a police officer for driving with an expired driver license. If you are a commercial driver and your license has been expired over two years, you will need to also take a driving test in the type of commercial vehicle you will be driving.

By implication, if you are NOT a commercial driver, it looks like you won't need to take a driving test.

Once you are pretty sure of your arrival date, I recommend that you make a DMV appointment using their web site for soon after you arrive. That way you (hopefully) won't have to wait in line 3 hours. But just because you have an appt doesn't mean you will get taken at that time. If they call your number and you aren't there, you lose your "reserved" slot (as if you had no appointment). I would "allocate" 3-4 hours for it anyways, get there 5-10 minutes early, and bring a good book to read.

Read the web site (the page I linked to is the "Frequently Asked Questions" for drivers license) to make sure that you have everything you need with you (all the paperwork).

You can also find a "drivers handbook" in PDF format on the site, so you can study the silly rules (is it 50 feet or 75 feet?, etc.) while still in India.

[techcrazy]

By implication, if you are NOT a commercial driver, it looks like you won't need to take a driving test.

.

marcopolo666, That is a great inference. I had read that paragraph too on DMV's site but couldn't infer it myself.

Thanks for all the tips as well.

[okaythen01]

My license is expired 3 months ago, and if you renew it in person they don't give you the new DL right away? you have to wait? and they just give you a temp DL? because I am moving to vegas oh maybe I can just have them mail it to my vegas address....or I just go back to that DMV and pick it up?

also I didn't get the renewal notice thing in the mail and I need it to renew by mail, is it possible to get it by mail again?

[marcopolo666]

If you are moving to Vegas you will need to get a NV driver's license.

If you renew your CA license (1) yes they give you a temporary one and (2) mail you the permanent one to your stated address.

(3) No, they will not mail it to NV.

(4) No, you cannot go in and pick it up at the DMV (mailing it to you is their way of verifying that the address you gave was valid - at least valid enough for you to get what is mailed to you there)

I'd suggest just skipping the hassle and waiting until you get to Las Vegas (unless you need to drive there. of course). The temporary license is valid in both sates (but not for ID, as it has no picture).

[okaythen01]

thanks a lot! well I need a license right away so I can buy car insurance, without a car I can't do anything!

can u buy car insurance with interim license from another state? (from Cali and buy car insurance in NV) how about an expired hardcopy normal license can you buy car insurance with that? When I go get my license in new state can I use hotel address on that license? then update it later? or it needs to be an apt or house address? cause I will stay in a hotel first then get an apt. I called cali DMV and they say you can put any address you want, they won't check it, but that's cali not sure about NV.

Also for the renewal license they will mail the hardcopy to you yeah...but DMV guy said they can mail it to Vegas so that's good!

oh I will rent a car first to get around and they allow international driving permit.

[marcopolo666]

I don't know! Use google and look it up!