Getting a Driver's License in the U.S. - Sahil Chhabra

Getting a Driver’s License in the U.S.

by Sahil Chhabra

Getting a Driver’s License (DL) in the U.S. may not be on the top of everyone’s priority list just after arriving here, but it was mine as I love travelling and needed a DL to travel within states. Nonetheless after reading this, you will have an idea of the process and documents required to obtain a driver’s license in the US, so that you can keep an eye out for them.

Luckily, I had my DL from India, which was valid for 1 year in the U.S., but it is always advisable to get the local state’s DL. A word of caution - your home country DL might not be valid in the U.S., you can check with the secretary of state’s office. I do know of another way, which I will mention later in this blog. Also if the DL is not in English, you will need a translation of the same.

The general process of getting a DL is as follows. Normally one needs to apply for a learning permit first, and then after a month of practice, one is eligible to apply for the written and the road test. Since I had my home country license, I was exempted from this first step, and I just needed to take the written test followed by a road test. After passing all the tests, I had to submit the certificate to receive my DL. The International Center hosts the DL written test here at U-M, and the schedule for this years can be found on the International Center’s website.

Gathering the required documents is always a hassle. Here I will talk about the tricky ones. The most important document apart from the immigration documents (I-20/DS-2019, visa, passport, I-94) is the Social Security number (SSN) or the letter of ineligibility, which normally one does not have just after arriving here. The SSN takes a couple of weeks to arrive, but the letter of ineligibility is granted on the spot. Also, you need to wait for a few days after your mandatory check-in at the University before applying for any of the two, so that your records are in the system. You will only need either of the two for the written test. The International Center also holds a workshop where representatives from the Ann Arbor Social Security office arrive at the university, and one can apply for the SSN or the letter of ineligibility there. The schedule is again on the center’s webpage and is generally one day before the DL written test. Since the university employed me, I needed a SSN.  For those who will be employed, would need to apply for the SSN first, wait for a couple of weeks, and then go to the secretary of state’s office to apply for a DL. If you do not want to do that, there is a way around that.  You can apply for the letter of ineligibility, and the workshop for that is just one day before the written test and is granted on the spot. You can use that the next day to take the written test. Later you can apply for the SSN, as you will need one if you are employed. One also needs 2 documents showing proof of residence. Bank statements, utility bills, lease agreements, paystubs are few valid examples.

Collecting all the documents was still easy but the next step is passing the written test. I failed in my first attempt. You may be allowed to take it twice on the same day given the time constraints as the state’s staff is here only for few hours. But, you can surely give the second attempt on the same day if you are applying at the branch. I learnt through my mistakes in the first attempt and passed in the second attempt on the same day. Then, I had a month to take the road test and passing that would mean I would have my license the next day! But then I got busy with my semester and was unable to give the road test within a month. Since the one-month limit had expired, I had to retake the written test to become eligible to take the road test.

In India, driving is on the left side of the road opposite of what is applied here in the U.S. Therefore, I needed some practice before taking the road test. So, I applied for a Zipcar membership by which one can rent cars on an hourly basis to drive around. I am about to tell you a secret, which a lot of my friends here are not aware of. Gas and insurance is included with the cost of the zipcar, which is around $8.50 per hour. The U-M has a contract with the zipcar, which lowers the membership fee for a student to only $15 as compared to $60 normally. There are plenty of zipcars available around the central and the north campus. Also the cost reduces to $4.50 per hours if you rent in late at night. Zipcar also has a referral program by which both people get $25 driving credit. So, you should find someone who has a zipcar membership or just message me. Zipcar was a lot of help to me as I practiced by myself. Also, this is another way to check if your DL is valid or not in the U.S. - if you can get a zipcar with your home country DL, you are good to hit the road!

After some practice, I went to retake the written test and told the Secretary of State’s staff that I was unable to give the road test in a month because I needed more practice.  This time, I passed the written test in the first attempt. The person there gave me a waiver for the one-month time restriction and said now I have enough time to practice, citing that I already had a DL from my home country so I could take the road test before it expired, which was 1 year after arriving in the U.S.

I took the road test within the next week, which cost around $60. The cost varies from the location of where you take the test. There are 4 locations around the Ann Arbor area available on the secretary of state’s website, and they also provide you with their contact details after you pass the written test. I will advise you to be confident with your driving before giving the road test, because the fee is non-refundable. My roommate who is from here failed the road test in his first attempt, and he made a bet that I would fail mine too. Well, guess what, he lost his bet as I passed the road test in my first attempt! I went the next day to submit my passing certificate, they took my photo, and the DL came in the mail a week later!

I hope this was helpful. Drive safe and good luck with the tests!

Written by Sahil Chhabra

International Center Summer Orientation Peer Adviser

Country of Origin: India

Pursuing Ph.D. in Chemistry