Who has never dreamed of driving in the United States on roads as mythical as Route 66? The car is the primary means of transportation in the United States.
To be able to realize the dream of a road trip to the USA, it is important to apply online to obtain your ESTA electronic travel authorization. In addition, the traveler must have a valid driver’s license to be able to drive in the USA.
Under what conditions is the english driver’s license valid to drive in Uncle Sam’s country?
Which driver’s license for a short stay in the USA?
For a stay in the USA of less than 3 months, the english driver’s license should be sufficient. In fact, the 1 or 3-part driver’s license models from England are sufficient to allow you to drive in the different American states.
Other requirements to use your english driver’s license to drive in the USA :
- The driver must be at least 21 years old;
- Some local car rental agencies require that the customer be at least 25 years old if they wish to rent a vehicle;
- The document must be more than one year old for the driving certificate to be authorized.
What happens when the stay time is longer?
The english permit is no longer valid if your stay in the USA exceeds 3 months. In this case, it will often be necessary to pass the driver’s license of the state of residence. Since laws differ by region, it is recommended that you contact the english consulates of the states concerned for more information. Note that in some cases, it is not necessary to retake the driving test.
In any case, travelers who want to stay longer than 90 days in the US will need an international driver’s license. Permits are valid for one year.
The advantages of an international permit to drive in the USA
To obtain an international permit, simply apply to your local prefecture. This free service makes renting a car in most foreign countries, including the United States, easy.
While a english driver’s license may be sufficient to fill out the car rental forms, forward-thinking tourists will be well advised to obtain an international license in order to save time in the administrative process.
One last piece of advice for travelers who are discovering the country for the first time, don’t hesitate to invest in a GPS in addition to your vehicle rental. It could save you a lot of time and unpleasant situations.