US driving licence here?

Saruman

Im pretty sure of the answer but anyway...
My wife has been driving for 15 years in the US. Is there a way to get her licence converted over here or does she have to start from scratch, do the provisional then full test etc etc.

I would say yes but not sure. She could get an international license in the Us which again im not sure is accepted here.

Alun

Everything you need to know is on www.oasis.gov.ie as usual.

Saruman

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html
Yes i know that, i was more hoping for someone elses experience. Hoping for a loophole. Did not think so.
Thanks anyway

Alun

The only loophole might be if she had originally passed her test somewhere else other than the US and had exchanged her original licence for a US one.

International licences aren't actually licences at all. You have to be in possession of a full licence in the country in which you apply for it first. It merely acts as a sort of universal standard 'translation' of your original licence so that if you're stopped by the authorities in a foreign country they can (supposedly) understand and recognise it.

seamus

No, there's no real loophole. My brother passed his test in the US, but had to drop back to a provisional when he came home here.

Alun

I had a quick Google to see what other countries did and certain countries, such as France, accept US drivers licenses from certain states (Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky) which have an exchange agreement with them. I suppose then that if you held a license from one of these states that you could go and live in France for long enough to exchange your license for a French one, and then come back, but that could be a bit of a PITA

unkel

Alun wrote:

I had a quick Google to see what other countries did and certain countries, such as France, accept US drivers licenses from certain states (Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky) which have an exchange agreement with them. I suppose then that if you held a license from one of these states that you could go and live in France for long enough to exchange your license for a French one, and then come back, but that could be a bit of a PITA

Clever! Loophole found so

AMurphy

seamus wrote:

No, there's no real loophole. My brother passed his test in the US, but had to drop back to a provisional when he came home here.

Which is why I have kept my ROI lisc, alive & paid up, save a lot of hassle.

SouperComputer

yea, my wife had to resit the whole rigmarole over here, including the theory test etc.

no other way im afriad. you can get away for a while on the US licence, but I wouldn't chance it too much!

mad m

Going to the States(LA) in couple of weeks,can I use my Irish drivers licence to drive over there for the duration of my holiday?

SouperComputer

yup should be grand.

there are days of grace, im not sure how many though. Just dont go doing 140 in a 55 zone and youll be fine