What is required to buy a car in USA if you do not have drivers license?

[nsxsupra]

Well,

My friends are coming over from Japan for Summer session in UCLA, they have International driver's license, but no California license. They do intend to buy a car as walking and taking buses can really only take them so far, it is quite a bit if inconvenience to live in the USA without a car.

I checked the DMV website for some information regarding this issue, this is what I found:
>If you are a visitor in California over 18 and have a valid driver license from >your home state or country, you may drive in this state without getting a >California driver license as long as your home state license remains valid.

Now, what about getting insured?

 

[NsXMas]

Try calling the DMV, probably your best bet.

 

[jimmycinla]

Try calling the DMV, probably your best bet.

Now that's funny.

:wink:

 

[NsXMas]

Now that's funny.

:wink:

LOL

I detest the California DMV, but no one probably knows their rules better...

Except when I moved to Cali before, and wanted to get a CA driver's license. The lady who helped me told me that I had to have a passport, birth certificate, and an out-of-state license to get a Cali license.

Since I only had a passport and out-of-state license at the time, the lady wouldn't let me get a Cali license.

I was really pissed off. So I flew back to the other state to renew my license.

A couple years later, I tried to get a Cali license again. This time the DMV rep didn't give me crap about only having a Passport and out-of-state license. So I finally got a Cali license.

But that experience told me that the DMV workers are worth exactly what they're paid.

But with that said, no one probably knows the archaic Cali laws better than those minimum wage workers...

Sad but true.

 

[heySkippy]

I doubt you have to have a DL to own a car but you'll certainly need one to get insurance. I would start with talking to insurance companies.

 

[710]

I had the same problem in California and Nevada, needing a birth certificate. I just printed one on my computer, bought one of those ‘seals’ and stuck it on, hit it with a coin with a hammer
They accepted it without batting an eyelid, they really have no idea what a foreign birth certificate looks like.
And all the info on the certificate was real, it had to be to match my passport and other papers of course.
Just sort of mumble something about an “extract” and make it look old. They only take a photocopy of it anyway.
When dealing with bureaucracy, just give them what they want, they don’t look at it anyway.

I also decided to take the test again, I didn’t want to trade my old DL in.
I really recommend that for your friends.

Getting their licence back in most countries is an expensive and difficult process (unless they can just trade it in, try THAT with an expired licence though...) compared to the ease of getting a licence in the States. For example, here you have to have lots of expensive lessons over a certain long time period, even if you already know how to drive. Many people (a vast amount of people) don’t pass the first time (especially when the examiner sees that it's only your first time).
Do your friends a favour, tell them to keep their old licences. Being foreigners, they won’t realise how ridiculously easy the test is, so they might be afraid to take the test. But a DL is a fun souvenir, to take with them when they go home.:smile:

When they ask if you have another DL, just say it’s expired. They won’t question that because Californian licences are only valid for 4 or 5 years, most foreign ones are valid until you’re around 60 years old, according to my collection of DLs.

And having your foreign licence and passport in your pocket is REAL handy when you get pulled over. The moment the police find out you are a tourist, they are really friendly and nice. They usually let you go with a smile and a shake of their head. You’re not one of “theirs”.
Most importantly, If they DO give you ticket, it won’t affect your California insurance.

I understand Jeremy Clarkson has just rolled the ticket up into a ball and out the window it went. While I wouldn’t do that (I’d pay it), that would be a great feeling!:biggrin:

Just remember, the biggest problem the ‘system’ has is locals. Tourists are an infinitesimal small cause of problems so it’s best to be a tourist when getting pulled over.
Have fun.

 

[satan_srv]

The moment the police find out you are a tourist, they are really friendly and nice. They usually let you go with a smile and a shake of their head. You’re not one of “theirs”.

Oh I don't know about that. Often once they find out you're a tourist usually the opposite happens.

 

[nsxtasy]

Wouldn't it be easier just to rent?

 

[710]

Wouldn't it be easier just to rent?

palm of hand hits forehead!