Any reason to renew my driver's license if I plan to move abroad?

April 10, 2008 1:30 PM

Any reason to renew my driver's license if I plan to move abroad?

I've lived in NYC for the past two years and have a Texas driver's license, expiring August 2008. By Aug, I plan to be living in Germany, for at least one year, if not indefinitely. I don't plan on driving in Germany, but it could happen for a road trip here or there.

1. Is there any reason I should renew my license? I hear that insurance rates might rise if I let my license lapse, but I'm not sure if I'll be driving once/if I move back to the US.

2. If I renew, should I renew in Texas or NY? And why? I don't plan to ever live in Texas, but my parents live there and take care of admin paperwork for me (mail collections, etc).

posted by beautiful to law & government (20 comments total)

You can renew your TX license online (good for 7 more years) and have someone mail it to you. Having a valid US state driver license makes it easy to get an international driver's license, should you need one abroad. You never know when you might want to rent a car and fly down the Autobahn. It's only $25.
posted by Burhanistan at 1:37 PM on April 10, 2008

Last I spoke with my Ins guy you have 30 days before rates would go up if lapsed.

It probably will be easier to renew rather than get a new license - paperwork and long lines. I say renew your TX license on the long shot if/when you return you need to drive or open a checking acct.
posted by doorsfan at 1:37 PM on April 10, 2008

In most European countries you can drive on a U.S. license for one year before having to get a national license. If you're going to be in Germany for about this length of time, it might be convenient to have a U.S. license. A German license is expensive and a bit difficult to get (especially if you do not speak German.)

Where to renew? It depends on where you want to have U.S. residency for tax and voting purposes. Texas (I believe) has no state income tax so you'll save yourself having to file a state return while abroad. Of course you'll have to vote for Texas politicians, but maybe doing this by mail from Germany won't be so distasteful.
posted by three blind mice at 1:43 PM on April 10, 2008

If you're living in Germany and you don't have a valid license, US or otherwise, you won't be able to drive (well you will, but you won't be covered by insurance and anyway it's just not a good idea!) Keep it simple, renew your current license and take it with you (duh).

Be sure to check the residency requirements to make sure that your license is still recognised after X amount of time in Germany, as there is a limit to the amount of time you can drive on a foreign license.
posted by different at 1:46 PM on April 10, 2008

You'll want one for the off chance, although, as three blind mice mentioned, after a year you'll need a new one, which is really hard to get in Germany.

According to this site:


Expats living in German-speaking Europe have one year before their home country license is no longer valid. If you're lucky, you have a driver's license from a state or province with a reciprocity agreement. If not, be prepared to spend time and money to attend a driving school (Fahrschule), take tests, and obtain a license. — The odds are not in your favor. Only 17 of the 50 US states have a license waiver agreement with Germany, and some populous states (California, Texas, New York, Florida) are not among them.
posted by mhz at 1:50 PM on April 10, 2008

If and when you move back to the U.S., you'd have to re-take the driver's test if your license expires (there's a 2-yr grace period for renewing a NY-issued license, not sure if it applies cross-state). Go to License X-Press at 300 W. 34th St.

Also, if and when you visit, it's much more convenient (and safe) than a passport for random places you need to show ID.
posted by mkultra at 2:17 PM on April 10, 2008

You didn't indicate if the address on your TX license is the same as your parents. If so, that would make it really easy to renew.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:28 PM on April 10, 2008

Beyond needing the license to drive in Germany in the near future, consider that if you are staying longer, you will probably need it if you want to transfer to a local license for long-term livin'.
posted by whatzit at 2:58 PM on April 10, 2008

What mkultra said. In Minnesota, for example, you have a year grace period (if I'm remembering right). After that you have to schlep out to the suburbs and line up all day with teenagers, immigrants and reformed drunks to take the road test again on the MNDOT play-highway layout. Not pleasant.
posted by gimonca at 3:00 PM on April 10, 2008

Also, if you move back without a driver's license and end up getting a comparable "state issued picture ID" instead, the frequent assumption will be that you're a dirty drunk driver who lost their license rather than a fine, normal citizen who made a conscious choice not to drive.
posted by gimonca at 3:05 PM on April 10, 2008

In general, a valid drivers license identifies you as you, while an expired license could be anybody. I have no idea why this should be the case, but I'd definitely renew it.
posted by Naberius at 3:16 PM on April 10, 2008

The requirements for obtaining a license seem to be getting more restrictive. The amount of stuff I had to bring to get my license this week in Maryland was ridiculous. It was essentially more onerous than the last time I got a passport because they wouldn't consider my previous license from another state as anything other than proof that I've passed the test. Even if you just put it in a drawer for two or three years, it's more than worth the hassle to get it renewed. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if you're required to give a DNA sample and an iris print for a new license within the next ten years.
posted by OmieWise at 3:32 PM on April 10, 2008

I've lived in NYC for the past two years and have a Texas driver's license

Assuming you aren't here for school or something else temporary, you were required to get a NYS license within a month of your moving to NYS. You can't renew it in Texas.
posted by oaf at 4:10 PM on April 10, 2008

If your driver's license expires, then when you return you'll have to take a driving test to get a new one.
posted by Class Goat at 4:46 PM on April 10, 2008

Plus, you can use you driving license as ID while your there instead of carrying your passport around all the time. I'd say renew before you go, as having to get a new one when you get to the US will be a major pain.
posted by zaphod at 5:19 PM on April 10, 2008

you can use you driving license as ID while your there instead of carrying your passport around all the time

Not for most things, you can't. At least not in Germany.
posted by oaf at 7:19 PM on April 10, 2008

I was caught in a nasty catch-22 a few years back. My Canadian license had expired, and I'd been living in Korea for several years (where I still live). Canada required that I actually be there and have an address and everything to renew (in person), which I did (with some fudging of the truth) on one of my quadrennial trips back. They sent the new license to the address I gave, or at least claimed to, because it never arrived. And they refused to send me another one, unless I presented myself at the office again. In Canada.

Now back in Korea, I was unable to get a new Canadian license, and without a new one, I couldn't get a Korean license, which required that I show my Canadian one. Thanks to a fast-talking Korean friend who came with me to the licensing office, I was able to get a Korean one (which lasts a decade, as opposed to the 5-year Canadian license), but I was very lucky that they bent the rules in order to do so.

Upshot: try to cover all your bases, because it can be a nightmare dealing with bureaucracy remotely.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:22 PM on April 10, 2008

Seconding stavros' suggestion to avoid remote dealing with bureaucracies.

I continue to renew my Calif. license each time it expires, as a back-up, but it also means I have to then write a letter to my home state explaining that I still live abroad and if they would simply schedule my jury duty for a particular date and give me several month's notice, I'd be more than happy to make an appearance, but otherwise it will be pretty impossible for me to fly in from Japan to serve.

I also went through the rigorous process of acquiring a Japanese license. Because public transportation is not actually an option in my life. As far as I know, maintaining these two licenses means I'm covered to drive for at least a year in most nations...because you just never know where you might end up.

None of which answers the question of whether *you* should renew if you really have absolutely no intention of driving from here on out....
posted by squasha at 1:29 AM on April 11, 2008

Renew.

I let my Texas driver's license expire, before they had online renewal, and had to take both the practical & written test since it was expired more than 3 years. Pain.in.the.arse. I had to got get a new Social Security card because I had left mine back at home in Italy. Then I got take the written (how the hell should I know about Minor in Possession laws when I haven't been a minor for years?), only to be told to come back the next morning for the practical since they had stopped the tests for the day 15 minutes prior. Gah.

Since your parents live in Texas, renew it there and use their address as your 'residence'. In addition to the voting mentioned above, for various other bits of paper I've had to fill in my 'US residence'; nothing has ever gotten sent there, but it's good to know that Ma will forward me anything that arrives.
posted by romakimmy at 3:36 AM on April 11, 2008

Since your parents live in Texas, renew it there and use their address as your 'residence'.

Texas won't be the poster's U.S. residence until he leaves the country. It's New York right now, and he's required to get a New York license.
posted by oaf at 4:43 AM on April 11, 2008