US drivers licences for expats

I might be able to help. What State are you from?

my current state is Vermont ... but the reality is that my connections to the sate are becoming few and far between.

(thanks for any suggestions)

Vermont DMV is a hard one, sorry can't help you on it. MN DMV is easy.

When I returned to California, I just broke out my license, paid the renewal fee, grabbed the instant temporary license, and off to the races.

thanks both of you...
a couple of problems with Wild 1's method:
1. it is possible that I will never return to Vermont. Or at the very least, "residency" is coming very questionable: i no longer have (or soon will not have) many of the traditional proofs of residence: no bills, no property, etc.
2. "On return" is too late if one wants to rent a car. (3 years ago I returned, went to the rental car office and was refused a car because my VT license had expired the week before).

I would actually be content with a driver's license from any state but now they all seem to want me to be a resident (and prove it)

Woodsdancer,

Obtain an address from a state that you can visit.  Then, in place of a bill, you can present a rental contract.  Pick and choose the state, though.  In light of the recent changes in gun laws, some had made it harder for out-of-state residents to obtain their driver licenses or ids.  But, I don't see any of them get critical with you.  Your gun laws aren't as bad as those in the socialist states, are they?

thanx, but, hmm ... I guess I am being foggy.

i am slowly transitioning to a full time expat... that means that for all practical purposes I will soon no longer have an actual US address -- certainly no rental receipt.

I am still a US citizen and I would like to visit when I feel like doing so... and a driver's license is one thing I need -- and that seems to require a state willing to issue it. I presently have a Vermont license, but it is quite possible it will expire before I return.

Hmm, i guess in another thing I still want to do in the US is vote ... and again I seem to need an address (usually based on a drivers license I guess)

Woodsdancer,

I am a Vietnamese-American.  I can stay here, hassle-free, for as long as I please.  Yet, I still maintain a place of domicile.  If not for anything, I still want to go back there and enjoy an apple pie every now and then.  A tailgate party, with a few college buddies, is very nice every once in a while.

Get a relative, or a friend to help you with it.  Dude, if you are that cut-off, let me know.  I will hook you up.

I'm 68 US style or 70 VN style and live in a rather out of the way part of Viet Nam.

A few years back, when the local police saw me driving a car around, they asked one of my in-laws to contact me and show them my international license. I had one so no big deal. The Law has changed and settled some since then. Still, talking to the local police after getting my VN drivers license, most thought it was a waste of money as they weren't going to stop me anyway unless I was doing something really stupid.

The most thought out response was, in loose translation,

"We really hate stopping older people. We have watched you drive and you are a very careful driver. None of us are going to stop you. But, If you get into an accident, even if you are 100% innocent, the Court will find you guilty with out a VN lisence.

You will be guilty because, technically as a resident, an international or state license is invalid. They are only valid for a visitor. The verdict will be that if you hadn't been illegally driving, there would have been no accident."

I did spend a couple of years in Japan as an American Military Traffic Cop. I like to know what is going on.

thanks for the heads up, how does this go for tourists on scooters?

For anyone who's a US citizen, regardless of your current or future plans to live there, or here, or anywhere, I personally do not recommend cutting all ties - mainly for some of the reasons already stated in this thread. You need to find a relative (even a distant one) or friend who will allow you to use his/her US address as a "hitching post" for any possible future business you may need to do there. I currently use my mother's address as my own US address, and already plan to use my son's or daughter's address at some point in the future after my mother passes on. You might think right now that you're never going to have a need for an address in the US, but you never know. 15 years ago, I had no idea I would ever be married to a different woman and living in Asia now.

Regardless of who or what you are, when you operate a vehicle without the proper permits, you WILL be at fault.

@mark stutley, 50cc or less, no problem. Any thing higher you need a VN license. Regardless of your status here.

@70 years old, International drivers licenses (IDL) are not recognized in Vietnam now or were they back in 1969. MP at Zama?

With a US state drivers license or license from most countries that includes a motorcycle endorsement,  someone with a tourist visa is legal to drive a 2 wheeler of 175cc or less. Insurance is another story.

I haven't checked into 50cc and less. But electric bicycles and 50cc and less seem to be considered the equlivent.

For those of us with Visa exemptions or long term stay visas, I suggest getting the VN license.

@Budman1

Re: US drivers licences for expats
@mark stutley, 50cc or less, no problem. Any thing higher you need a VN license. Regardless of your status here.

@70 years old, International drivers licenses (IDL) are not recognized in Vietnam now or were they back in 1969. MP at Zama?

You and the local police LTC disagree on the legality of an IDL.
I had a US military drivers license while driving in Viet Nam during the War. Mid 1974-18 April 1975, I rode a motorcycle with out a driver's license.

1972-1974 SP, NAF Atsugi. I did take some U of Maryland courses at Camp Zama. I also had a US military drivers license while driving in Japan. Both the Viet Nam and Japan US military driver's licenses required instruction and local testing and were specific to the country involved.

I was able to renew my Texas dl online by using my parents address. They just reused the old photo and mailed out the new license in like 2 weeks.

VungTauDon,

They allow the same thing in California, for good drivers.  But I remember that it is only done once or twice, before they make you come in for the new photo.  But unless your license has expired for too long, as soon as you come in, they will issue you a new one; and you will be on your way.

the summary that seems to be evolving to my original question ("is there any way for an expat to get a US driver's license") is:
"No, not if you want to be completely legal."
Every site I have looked at says you must be a bona fide resident of their state. That would clearly preclude the use of a brother's address or similar ways of sidestepping the law.

I happen to have a vietnamese license -- granted to me on the basis of my Vermont license, so it expires the same date next year. Does anyone know: can you renew a Vietnam license without first renewing the US license?

(According to the Vermont DMV, I could legally drive for short periods of time in the US using the Vietnam license)

thanks again for any help

You can try this route

http://www.souvenirids.com/vermont.htm

woodsdancer wrote:

I am finding it increasingly difficult to get/renew a US drivers license. I normally do not drive a car in Vietnam so I have no real need for a Vietnamese license. More to the point, a Vietnamese license is essentially useless when visiting the US -- especially for things such as renting a car (or getting insurance). My home state (and I guess, most others) wants to verify my in-state address -- which of course I no longer have. I use a mail-forwarding service, but it is not in my home state.

What have other people done about maintaining a US driver's license.

It's best that you maintain a mailing address.  Mails are still sent horse and buggy here and takes about 2-3 wks from the States. You'll need it to maintain things like a credit card and an opened bank account to transfer funds back and forth when needed, and for voting. There are a lot of times that I would like to renounce my US citizenship because of the politics but that's foolish, and you have to keep your head separated from your heart.

Connecticut is similar to Vermont in many ways and will allow you to renew your license from oversea if you're out of the country for a certain amount of time i.e. job, military service, etc.  I'm sure Vermont is similar and has an online application that you can print out and mail back. They will send it here directly as they did mine. The biggest problem is that MVD in Connecticut doesn't take credit cards and you certainly can't send cash. I had to rely on a friend in the US to buy a money order to send it to them with the application. International driver's license is NOT recognized here at all so let's get that straight.

The other alternative you might want to look into is to open up a P.O. Box account but don't ever cut it off completely.

There are lots of mail forwarding companies also you can use. He is one such place in Vermont.
http://www.basfulfillment.com/mail_forwarding.php

woodsdancer wrote:

can you renew a Vietnam license without first renewing the US license?

The answer is NO. It happened to me and I've tried it already. It's predicated on the expiration date of the US license OR your Visa/temporary resident permit, which ever expired first. Even if you renewed your US license but your visa/TRP is expired, you cannot renew the Vietnamese license until you take care of the visa/TRP.

In my case, after I renewed the US license (auto), I thought they were going renew my Vietnamese license to the new expiration date of the US. Unfortunately, my TRP is set to expire a month and a half later. Conclusion: They renewed my Vietnamese license but only to the date when my TRP expires. 

Woodsdancer,

If other options do not work out for you.  Consider this:

DMV from the State of Arizona provides a driver license that lasts for 22 years! Yes, 22 years! I got mine issued last year, 2012 and the expiration date on my driver license is 2034! So I think if you want to invest a little time and effort to get it from AZ, you won't have to deal with renewing it every 2 years or so if obtaining from many other states.

Even if you have no family, relatives, or friends in the U.S., when you come back to the U.S. next time, stop by Phoenix, Arizona, I think what you can do is to rent a room to share(search craigslist, plenty around I am sure), once rented, then get a signed letter from the land lord stating that you are residing at that address, bring that to the DMV, state that you are self-employed, and request to get/renew/transfer your driver license.  Then off you go, continue with your journey.

To be sure, google AZ DMV and get their phone number, call them and present this scenario and ask them what else you must have in order to get your lic. transferred to AZ so that you come prepared.

Hope this helps.

thanks for the various suggestions...

yes, I know ways to fake it and get an illegal license (or to get one through subterfuge ... but I was really hoping there might be some legal way for an expat to get a driver's license from the US.

all of  the solutions I have seen so far, seem to require some element of fraud:
- clearly the place that sells fake IDs would be illegal
- and it seems that any attempt to claim I live somewhere that i really don't (using a family members address) is slightly fraudulent
- renewing mine by mail would probably be ok, but my photo is too old to renew... requires a new picture

I don't even mind too much if the driver's license is slight fraudulent ... but if any taxing agency of the US ever concluded that the fraudulent address was designed for tax evasion it could get very ugly.

and thanks to Roe_Amerasian for what is probably a great idea for many people... Actually the Arizona license is not good for "22 years" ... but "until age 65" ...
and alas for those of us over 65, the law says "new license every 5 years and renewal must be in person" ... oh well, good try

I am finding it increasingly difficult to get/renew a US drivers license. I normally do not drive a car in Vietnam so I have no real need for a Vietnamese license. More to the point, a Vietnamese license is essentially useless when visiting the US -- especially for things such as renting a car (or getting insurance). My home state (and I guess, most others) wants to verify my in-state address -- which of course I no longer have. I use a mail-forwarding service, but it is not in my home state. What have other people done about maintaining a US driver's license. -@woodsdancer

Thought I'd resurrect this old thread because I just had an experience with California on this subject AND to point out that WOODSDANCER has been a member of the Vietnam Forum since July 21st, 2012 (posted for the first time on July 28th, 2012) 😎👍

It's especially helpful that we have some long-time members such as him and Rick-Budman and Colin and John Ross...and THIGV...and others still providing helpful input on the forum.

I was in California last year (2022) and I successfully updated my driver's license residence & mailing addresses as well as linking my voter registration to both (a highly useful thing to do since the official voter registration card is often acceptable as a secondary form of ID for various purposes.

Unfortunately, my driver's license expired in December, and when I received my snail mail & email renewal notices in August (AFTER I returned here to VN) it was clear that I could not renew my California driver's license without physically going into the DMV.

That didn't bother me for too long because I never drive a car here in Vietnam and the whole time I was back in the United States from June 2021 until July 2022 I never drove a car.

if I wasn't able to go with a friend somewhere I always used LYFT rideshare.

So I think my time having a California driver's license is finally over, but because I recently got a brand new passport with the maximum amount of pages and it expires in 2032, I have everything I need in order to get back into the United States and fly within the United States (the passport qualifies as Real ID).

Hope this is helpful to someone.

one thing to be very careful of is renting a car in the us. several years ago i arrived in the US, went to the rental agent where i had reserved a car (planning to drive from LA to San Diego). I responded to the usual request for drivers licence and credit card by placing both on the counter... then the shock: "do you have a current license?" they p;ointed out that it had expired a few days earlier... no, they wouldn't rent me a car, period. I had to stay in hotel and then fly to san diego in the morning. Once there, it wasn't a huge problem the dmv fairly promptly issue a new one (i guess i had to take the written test)...

but there was no mercy from the rental agencies.

one thing to be very careful of is renting a car in the us. several years ago i arrived in the US, went to the rental agent where i had reserved a car (planning to drive from LA to San Diego). I responded to the usual request for drivers licence and credit card by placing both on the counter... then the shock: "do you have a current license?" they p;ointed out that it had expired a few days earlier... no, they wouldn't rent me a car, period. I had to stay in hotel and then fly to san diego in the morning. Once there, it wasn't a huge problem the dmv fairly promptly issue a new one (i guess i had to take the written test)...
but there was no mercy from the rental agencies.
-@woodsdancer

The rental agency did what was required, no mercy needs to be shown as you wernt legally allowed to drive.

I just renewed my Hawaii license through the mail with a little help from a friend there in Hawaii. Here is what I had to do:

1) Download, print off and fill out the proper forms.

  A. I had to fly over to the Philippines in order to get medical forms filled out in English for both physical check up and eye exam. The main reason being that they require the doctors license number and in Vietnam the government will not allow those to be made public.

2) I mailed all of the necessary forms along with my old Hawaii drivers license. (I also included a signed note allowing my friend in Hawaii to pick up the license when it was ready).

  A. I had to open an account at Vietcombank in USD in order to include a certified bank check for the license - luckily, I work for a school that pays out in USD before it's converted to dong but you may have to find a way to prove where your USD came from (this was the only bank I could find that would do a certified check for me).

  > Notes: If your drivers license is already expired there will be an extra charge which varies depending on when it expired. * Even though I have not lived there for 6 years, I used my apt. address on the old drivers license. I also included my friends address as an alternative address). * I used bank statements from my First Hawaiian Bank account and my old drivers license (unexpired) to verify Hawaii resident status. * Because I could not be physically present for a picture, the new license is only good for driving and cannot be used as an official ID - but my passport works for that, so I don't care.

3) After she picked it up, my friend sent me a picture of the new license before she put it in the mail. It's on it's way to me now.   

*** I think I covered everything. If I forgot something, I'm sorry. Also keep in mind that every state in America has their own process so what worked in Hawaii may not work in another state.

(Including two round trip tickets to the Philippines, all in I would guess this ended up costing me between 2 and 3 hundred dollars but the license is good for 8 years and my wife and I had a nice little vacation in the old Spanish district over in Manila, Philippines.)

one thing to be very careful of is renting a car in the us. several years ago i arrived in the US, went to the rental agent where i had reserved a car (planning to drive from LA to San Diego). I responded to the usual request for drivers licence and credit card by placing both on the counter... then the shock: "do you have a current license?" they p;ointed out that it had expired a few days earlier... no, they wouldn't rent me a car, period. I had to stay in hotel and then fly to san diego in the morning. Once there, it wasn't a huge problem the dmv fairly promptly issue a new one (i guess i had to take the written test)...
but there was no mercy from the rental agencies.
-@woodsdancer

That's a really good point.

San Diego is my hometown and I have frequently flown in there when I was living far away, renting a car to get around town.

But this most recent time while I was in and out of town between August of 2021 and July of 2022, I didn't miss having my own car at all.

I used LYFT ride-sharing a lot (some people prefer UBER, but I won't use them for reasons I won't get into now).

I even met a Việt Kiều driver through one of my bookings and he is now my go-to private driver in San Diego, skipping the LYFT system and paying him cash.

While I was there I made great use of he trolley system, especially when I was coming back from Rosarito, Mexico as a pedestrian crossing the border.

I would hop right on the blue line which would take me to Old Town where I would transfer to one of the other lines or a bus and get everywhere I needed to be pretty much.

The Blue Line has now been extended, and every other trip goes from the San Ysidro border crossing out to University Town Center, LaJolla.

It even stops at the VA Hospital, which made my visits very easy while I was home.

So I don't think I'll ever need to rent a car there (but maybe MAC will...) 😉

Easy. Claim to be homeless and use the homeless shelter address. Worked for me. I'm  actually homeless LOL.