Online DMV Forums

hey everyone, a family member was moving to California and they have a foreign drivers license

can they change it to become a US license and how to do it???

i heard you can change a foreign license to a USA one but I'm not sure what to do

thx in advance for the replies

Hi there, Zack here from Online DMV, hope to answer your questions here!

First off, some bad news... In California, you can't directly transfer a foreign driver’s license to a US/California license. This means that your family member will have to apply for a new California driver's license.

In short, they'll have to start from scratch, going through and passing the written knowledge test, the vision test, and the behind-the-wheel driving test.

When they're applying for one, please remind your family member to bring their foreign license to the DMV, alongside a proof of identity, Social Security number (only if applicable), and proof of residency. That should be enough to get them started.

I hope that helps