California Driver's License?

[gina]

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because I
come looking here to find all my information whenever I have questions...
and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you!

I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license recently,
so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not.

My dilemma is this. Last month I finally sucked it up and sat at the stupid
DMV, talked to someone about getting my license. I'm an Australian national,
I have an Australian license. The staff at the DMV were really nice and it
seemed very simple. They said all I need to do is pass a written test and I
would be issued a CA license.

The fact is, I'd been in there several times and each time I'd been told I
didn't need to take a drive test, all I needed to do was take a written
test. Which last month I finally did and they said my license was in the
mail.

I ended up moving earlier than anticipated and I know government mail isn't
supposed to be forwarded (although lord knows all my INS stuff has always
been forwarded no matter how much they say it won't be). So I called because
I was worried about my license being returned to the DMV.

The rep says I need a drive test. I questioned his information and he got
all defensive saying "how can you expect to come to this country and have us
just recognize your license like that? you need a drive test"...
Ehhhh...Excuse me buddy, I don't "expect" anything, I'm going by what YOU
PEOPLE told me, on numerous occaisons... get it right.

OK, he refuses to get me a supervisor, my husband calls back to complain and
so do I... Both reps are adamant that I DO NOT need a drive test. The second
rep I talk to looks up the status and tells me my license is "in process"
and is just awaiting for my SSN and associated info I provided to
validate... she then transfers me to a supervisor and the supervisor backs
up the rude rep and says I need a drive test too.

I know I went off on a tangent there (apologies... venting)... but I'm
hoping someone here has been through this process here in California and can
tell me whether they needed a drive test or not. I'm so busy. I work
full-time, I go to school, the next time DMV is open on a saturday is 3
weeks away... If I don't have to take a drive test, I don't wanna, just
because some crusty old f___ at DMV wants to make my life a little more
difficult. I don't think thats unreasonable of me. If I have to take it
though, I have no problem with that either... I just want the right
information, thats all.

I searched and I found lots of DMV experiences, but none very recent or
specifically for California... Again, I really appreciate your help. I don't
know where I'd be without this forum! Maybe I should post my AOS
experience/timeline so that I can give back a bit and contribute some...

Regards, Gina

[mrtravelkay]

gina wrote:

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because I come looking here to find all my information whenever I have questions... and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you! I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license recently, so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not.

My wife had a Russian license and had to take the road test. I think it
should be something easy to find out about on the DMV website.

[alect]

Gina

I too am an Aussie living in CA. I too had an Australian driver's
licence. My research at the time was almost positive that I had to do
the written AND THE DRIVE TEST - they do not recognise foreign licences.


When I went in and did my written test, I presented my NY
identification card (not drivers licence but and ID card I got to make
it esaier to travel). Due to a complete fluke the guy looked at it and
said well we will send your licence in the mail in a few weeks but here
is the paper temp one - since you have a NY (out of state) licence you
don't need to do the drive test. So he confused my NY ID card with a NY
drivers licence - and I wasn't about to complain.

Upshot is - by law
you are required to do the drive test - sorry!


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[hcj1440]

The California DMV site clearly states that you have to take a driving
test.

"If you have a license from another country, you will be required
to take a driving test. If you have a license from another state, the
driving test can be waived."


http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[berga]

Originally posted by Gina

Hi everyone... you all don't

know me, but I feel like I know you because I

come looking here to

find all my information whenever I have questions...

and usually a

search helps me out. So hello and thank you!

I'm hoping someone

has tried to get a California drivers license recently,

so they tell

me if they had to take a drive test or not.

My dilemma is this.

Last month I finally sucked it up and sat at the stupid

DMV, talked to

someone about getting my license. I'm an Australian national,

I have

an Australian license. The staff at the DMV were really nice and itseemed very simple. They said all I need to do is pass a written test
and I

would be issued a CA license. The fact is, I'd been in

there several times and each time I'd been told I

didn't need to take

a drive test, all I needed to do was take a written

test. Which last

month I finally did and they said my license was in the

mail. I

ended up moving earlier than anticipated and I know government mail
isn't

supposed to be forwarded (although lord knows all my INS stuff

has always

been forwarded no matter how much they say it won't be). So

I called because

I was worried about my license being returned to the

DMV.

The rep says I need a drive test. I questioned his information

and he got

all defensive saying "how can you expect to come to this

country and have us

just recognize your license like that? you need a

drive test"...

Ehhhh...Excuse me buddy, I don't "expect" anything, I'm

going by what YOU

PEOPLE told me, on numerous occaisons... get it

right.

OK, he refuses to get me a supervisor, my husband calls back

to complain and

so do I... Both reps are adamant that I DO NOT need a

drive test. The second

rep I talk to looks up the status and tells me

my license is "in process"

and is just awaiting for my SSN and

associated info I provided to

validate... she then transfers me to a

supervisor and the supervisor backs

up the rude rep and says I need a

drive test too.

I know I went off on a tangent there (apologies...

venting)... but I'm

hoping someone here has been through this process

here in California and can

tell me whether they needed a drive test or

not. I'm so busy. I work

full-time, I go to school, the next time DMV

is open on a saturday is 3

weeks away... If I don't have to take a

drive test, I don't wanna, just

because some crusty old f___ at DMV

wants to make my life a little more

difficult. I don't think thats

unreasonable of me. If I have to take it

though, I have no problem

with that either... I just want the right

information, thats all.

I searched and I found lots of DMV experiences, but none very recent or

specifically for California... Again, I really appreciate your help.

I don't

know where I'd be without this forum! Maybe I should post my

AOS

experience/timeline so that I can give back a bit and contribute

some...

Regards, Gina

Hi Gina
I got my DL last autumn,
the test is not that hard actually
but I had to take both. However they
issued a interim DL while I was waiting for my SS number and so that I
could take the behind the wheel test.
Good luck
D


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[Dekka's Angel]

Originally posted by Gina

I'm hoping someone has

tried to get a California drivers license recently,

so they tell me if

they had to take a drive test or not.

My dilemma is this. Last

month I finally sucked it up and sat at the stupid DMV, talked to
someone about getting my license. I'm an Australian national, I have an
Australian license. The staff at the DMV were really nice and it seemed
very simple. They said all I need to do is pass a written test and I
would be issued a CA license.

The fact is, I'd been in there

several times and each time I'd been told I didn't need to take a drive
test, all I needed to do was take a written test. Which last month I
finally did and they said my license was in themail.

OK, he refuses

to get me a supervisor, my husband calls back to complain and so do I...
Both reps are adamant that I DO NOT need a drive test. The second rep I
talk to looks up the status and tells me my license is "in process" and
is just awaiting for my SSN and associated info I provided to
validate... she then transfers me to a supervisor and the supervisor
backs

up the rude rep and says I need a drive test too.

Sorry, but if you were told you do not need a behind the wheel test to
get a California drivers' license when all you have is an Australian
license then multiple people misinformed you. The regulation has always
been such, unless it changed since Derek (also an Aussie - where are you
from? ) got his license finished last November. Here is the link to
the website itself about licensure, which contains the rule about behind-the-
wheel tests for those holding a foreign license:


http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500

Sorry you got
all that confusion.


--
Dekka's Angel


Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[Den]

Hi Gina

Brit here. I had to take the written and drive test. Mind you, the drive
test was *so* easy compared to the British test it was laughable!

D


"gina" <gina@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:83khc.53412$0P7.27889@newssvr25.news.prodigy. com...

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because I come looking here to find all my information whenever I have questions... and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you! I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license recently, so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not. My dilemma is this. Last month I finally sucked it up and sat at the

stupid

DMV, talked to someone about getting my license. I'm an Australian

national,

I have an Australian license. The staff at the DMV were really nice and it seemed very simple. They said all I need to do is pass a written test and

I

would be issued a CA license. The fact is, I'd been in there several times and each time I'd been told I didn't need to take a drive test, all I needed to do was take a written test. Which last month I finally did and they said my license was in the mail. I ended up moving earlier than anticipated and I know government mail

isn't

supposed to be forwarded (although lord knows all my INS stuff has always been forwarded no matter how much they say it won't be). So I called

because

I was worried about my license being returned to the DMV. The rep says I need a drive test. I questioned his information and he got all defensive saying "how can you expect to come to this country and have

us

just recognize your license like that? you need a drive test"... Ehhhh...Excuse me buddy, I don't "expect" anything, I'm going by what YOU PEOPLE told me, on numerous occaisons... get it right. OK, he refuses to get me a supervisor, my husband calls back to complain

and

so do I... Both reps are adamant that I DO NOT need a drive test. The seco

nd

rep I talk to looks up the status and tells me my license is "in process" and is just awaiting for my SSN and associated info I provided to validate... she then transfers me to a supervisor and the supervisor backs up the rude rep and says I need a drive test too. I know I went off on a tangent there (apologies... venting)... but I'm hoping someone here has been through this process here in California and

can

tell me whether they needed a drive test or not. I'm so busy. I work full-time, I go to school, the next time DMV is open on a saturday is 3 weeks away... If I don't have to take a drive test, I don't wanna, just because some crusty old f___ at DMV wants to make my life a little more difficult. I don't think thats unreasonable of me. If I have to take it though, I have no problem with that either... I just want the right information, thats all. I searched and I found lots of DMV experiences, but none very recent or specifically for California... Again, I really appreciate your help. I

don't

know where I'd be without this forum! Maybe I should post my AOS experience/timeline so that I can give back a bit and contribute some... Regards, Gina

[Richard Cochran]

"gina" <gina@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:<83khc.53412$0P7.27889@newssvr25.news.prodigy .com>...

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because I come looking here to find all my information whenever I have questions... and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you! I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license recently, so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not.

I haven't gone through the process recently, but the California DMV has
a website with all the detailed info at http://www.dmv.ca.gov The
info you're looking for is on http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500

It says, in part

"If you have a license from another country, you will be required to take
a driving test. If you have a license from another state, the driving test
can be waived."

That first link also points toward the California Vehicle Code, the
actual words of the laws passed by our legislators. It's not easy to
read, but I think the relevant law is section 12804.9(1)(D), which
says in part:

"12804.9. (1) The examination shall include all of the following:

[snip Sections A-C about written test, English proficiency, and signs]

(D) An actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise
ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by driving
it under the supervision of an examining officer. The applicant shall
submit to an examination appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or
combination of vehicles he or she desires a license to drive, except
that the department may waive the driving test part of the examination
for any applicant who submits a license issued by another state,
territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia,
or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ..."

The full text of that section is at
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d06/vc12804_9.htm


I'm afraid you have to take the driving test unless you already have
a valid license from the USA, and whatever clerk(s) told you
that another country's license could be used to waive the driver's
test were probably confused.

--Rich
(not a lawyer, not even pretending to be one, just looking up
info on the web).

[gina]

See, I think thats what happened to me... I gave them military id and my
green card, passport... (I come prepared!) and my Aussie DL... and they were
like "we don't need that"... I'm like... OK, don't you want to even look at
it? Apparently not.

I don't mind taking the test, I expected to take a drive test... I'm just
irked that the person who eventually told me so was so god****ed rude, and
not only that, I was expecting it in the mail at any moment. I thought I was
done! So thats why I feel put out.

Thanks

"alect" <member21273@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:1378467.1082524138@britishexpats.com...

Gina I too am an Aussie living in CA. I too had an Australian driver's licence. My research at the time was almost positive that I had to do the written AND THE DRIVE TEST - they do not recognise foreign licences. When I went in and did my written test, I presented my NY identification card (not drivers licence but and ID card I got to make it esaier to travel). Due to a complete fluke the guy looked at it and said well we will send your licence in the mail in a few weeks but here is the paper temp one - since you have a NY (out of state) licence you don't need to do the drive test. So he confused my NY ID card with a NY drivers licence - and I wasn't about to complain. Upshot is - by law you are required to do the drive test - sorry! -- Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[gina]

Right, the DMV website does, but the DMV employees mostly don't say that.

I wanted to know what others had to do to get a CA license, if they had to
take a drive test - I did see the website. Thx.

"hcj1440" <member19487@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:1378520.1082526545@britishexpats.com...

The California DMV site clearly states that you have to take a driving test. "If you have a license from another country, you will be required to take a driving test. If you have a license from another state, the driving test can be waived." http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500 -- Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[gina]

Yeah, my husband says it's not hard too, he says you'd have to be pretty
awful to fail the test, heh. It's just a pain in the you-know-what more than
anything else. If I'd been told I need a drive test, I would have already
had it done the same day I took my written!

"berga" <member11049@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:1379562.1082566307@britishexpats.com...

Originally posted by Gina

Hi everyone... you all don't

know me, but I feel like I know you because I

come looking here to

find all my information whenever I have questions...

and usually a

search helps me out. So hello and thank you!

I'm hoping someone

has tried to get a California drivers license recently,

so they tell

me if they had to take a drive test or not.

My dilemma is this.

Last month I finally sucked it up and sat at the stupid

DMV, talked to

someone about getting my license. I'm an Australian national,

I have

an Australian license. The staff at the DMV were really nice and it seemed very simple. They said all I need to do is pass a written test and I

would be issued a CA license. The fact is, I'd been in

there several times and each time I'd been told I

didn't need to take

a drive test, all I needed to do was take a written

test. Which last

month I finally did and they said my license was in the

mail. I

ended up moving earlier than anticipated and I know government mail isn't

supposed to be forwarded (although lord knows all my INS stuff

has always

been forwarded no matter how much they say it won't be). So

I called because

I was worried about my license being returned to the

DMV.

The rep says I need a drive test. I questioned his information

and he got

all defensive saying "how can you expect to come to this

country and have us

just recognize your license like that? you need a

drive test"...

Ehhhh...Excuse me buddy, I don't "expect" anything, I'm

going by what YOU

PEOPLE told me, on numerous occaisons... get it

right.

OK, he refuses to get me a supervisor, my husband calls back

to complain and

so do I... Both reps are adamant that I DO NOT need a

drive test. The second

rep I talk to looks up the status and tells me

my license is "in process"

and is just awaiting for my SSN and

associated info I provided to

validate... she then transfers me to a

supervisor and the supervisor backs

up the rude rep and says I need a

drive test too.

I know I went off on a tangent there (apologies...

venting)... but I'm

hoping someone here has been through this process

here in California and can

tell me whether they needed a drive test or

not. I'm so busy. I work

full-time, I go to school, the next time DMV

is open on a saturday is 3

weeks away... If I don't have to take a

drive test, I don't wanna, just

because some crusty old f___ at DMV

wants to make my life a little more

difficult. I don't think thats

unreasonable of me. If I have to take it

though, I have no problem

with that either... I just want the right

information, thats all.

I searched and I found lots of DMV experiences, but none very recent or

specifically for California... Again, I really appreciate your help.

I don't

know where I'd be without this forum! Maybe I should post my

AOS

experience/timeline so that I can give back a bit and contribute

some...

Regards, Gina

Hi Gina I got my DL last autumn, the test is not that hard actually but I had to take both. However they issued a interim DL while I was waiting for my SS number and so that I could take the behind the wheel test. Good luck D -- Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[gina]

Yeah I know... But since the DMV employees seem to say different things, I
wondered if others had to take the drive test too, or if they scraped by
without it. It sucks to have to devote another Saturday morning to that
hole.

I'm originally from Sydney... I've been in CA for about a year and a half
though. Used to live in Maryland though!

Sorry, but if you were told you do not need a behind the wheel test to get a California drivers' license when all you have is an Australian license then multiple people misinformed you. The regulation has always been such, unless it changed since Derek (also an Aussie - where are you from? ) got his license finished last November. Here is the link to the website itself about licensure, which contains the rule about

behind-the-

wheel tests for those holding a foreign license: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500 Sorry you got all that confusion. -- Dekka's Angel Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[gina]

Yeah, I saw that too, but I kinda wanted to know if others scraped by
without having to do it!

"Richard Cochran" <rcochran@lanset.com> wrote in message
news:22526900.0404210923.ce781ef@posting.google.co m...

"gina" <gina@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:<83khc.53412$0P7.27889@newssvr25.news.prodigy .com>...

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because

I

come looking here to find all my information whenever I have

questions...

and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you! I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license

recently,

so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not. I haven't gone through the process recently, but the California DMV has a website with all the detailed info at http://www.dmv.ca.gov The info you're looking for is on http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2500 It says, in part "If you have a license from another country, you will be required to take a driving test. If you have a license from another state, the driving test can be waived." That first link also points toward the California Vehicle Code, the actual words of the laws passed by our legislators. It's not easy to read, but I think the relevant law is section 12804.9(1)(D), which says in part: "12804.9. (1) The examination shall include all of the following: [snip Sections A-C about written test, English proficiency, and signs] (D) An actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by driving it under the supervision of an examining officer. The applicant shall submit to an examination appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or combination of vehicles he or she desires a license to drive, except that the department may waive the driving test part of the examination for any applicant who submits a license issued by another state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ..." The full text of that section is at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d06/vc12804_9.htm I'm afraid you have to take the driving test unless you already have a valid license from the USA, and whatever clerk(s) told you that another country's license could be used to waive the driver's test were probably confused. --Rich (not a lawyer, not even pretending to be one, just looking up info on the web).

[gina]

It is, once someone told me... but Iwanted to know if others had to do it,
or if they got issued one anyway, by talking to employees who think they
don't need a drive test.

I'd still be clueless unless I just happened to call the DMV about a totally
separate issue!

"mrtravelkay" <a@a.aa.a> wrote in message
news:vQmhc.39204$5A2.6246@newssvr29.news.prodigy.c om...

gina wrote:

Hi everyone... you all don't know me, but I feel like I know you because

I

come looking here to find all my information whenever I have

questions...

and usually a search helps me out. So hello and thank you! I'm hoping someone has tried to get a California drivers license

recently,

so they tell me if they had to take a drive test or not. My wife had a Russian license and had to take the road test. I think it should be something easy to find out about on the DMV website.