Question about US License

Hi all,

I moved to the UK in 2018. I did try to take refresher lessons to get my UK licence, but I was extremely panicky, very uncomfortable and eventually decided I needed to take a break because it was just adding to the stress I already had from moving. I was able to walk to my job at the time so I didn't really need a license or anything, so I just thought I'd deal with it later.

Fast forward to Fall 2019, I got a new job and thought about taking another few refresher lessons and getting my provisional. This was around late November 2019. I started the process to apply with my provisional and within the time I waited to get the form, Christmas came and went, so I officially looked at the paperwork in January 2020. I realized I'd need to send off my BRP to get the provisional, and opted not to do it because we were travelling to the States in Feb 2020, and I was extremely nervous of it not returning on time or it getting lost in the mail and ruining our chances to go to the US. So, I had decided to try again when we got back in March. But in March 2020 Covid happened, everything went into lockdown and I was working from home. After a few months I did try to contact a few places for refresher lessons, but no one was offering it at the time because of social distancing rules, which is fair. I fell into a deep depression toward the end of the year, and to be honest, sort of forgot about the provisional and all thoughts of getting my UK license. I was working from home and not going anywhere. I take the bus to work, so when I did get back to work, driving was not even on my mind. Then, in 2021 my mental health started to get a lot better but by the time I decided to sit down and re-start the provisional process my visa was up for renewal and my BRP was going to expire so obviously I wasn't sending it in the mail. So, again, my plans to do this were halted. Now, I have a new BRP and will apply for a provisional as I'm not planning to go out of the country anytime soon (anymore) because covid and social distancing are very much still a thing.

However, I do think driving lessons are back on (I just need to check). Anyway, the point of all this back story is my US license expires on 6 September 2021. I went home in February and drove around like normal and it was convenient, but now that I live in the UK I can't go to the DMV in person to renew. I still have mail that goes to my mom's house (the address registered with the DMV), I am registered to vote in LA and have a bank account in LA. I was hoping to just renew online but I never got a "renewal notice" so I can't renew online, and obviously can't go in person. But all in all, I'm wondering if what I was planning to do is "going around the rules" since I don't technically live in LA anymore. I didn't really think of this until I tried renewing. I honestly did not think it would be a problem to just renew my LA license online. Clearly, I was wrong! (I had never applied online before) I was kind of hoping to just renew online, get my new license sent to my moms house, then she would mail it to me. Blam bam, good to go and I can drive when I visit home.

I just want some advice and/or if any of you have dealt with this before. If my US license expires and I can't renew it from here, and I don't have my UK license, I am afraid I won't really be able to visit home for a while because I'm from a city that is built in such a way that if you don't have a car/license, you can't get around. Everyone just says to go and get it but when I say I PANICKED I am not just making excuses or exaggerating so I kindly ask for people not to reply with "you'll just have to get your uk license" or "you might have to get over it and get your uk license" I am well aware of this. If getting my UK license is my only option then I'll deal with that, but I don't need to hear it a bunch of times. Apologies if I seem snarky with this, but I've been told to "get over it" so many times it's kind of triggering now.

It's been extremely difficult for me to "face my fears" in regard to driving here. I had a full blown panic attack behind the wheel and it's kind of frightened me from trying. Now it's been near three years since I've driven (except the two weeks I drove in the US in Feb 2020. I LOVED driving in the US. I'm not afraid to drive, I'm just afraid to drive HERE.) I'm working on it, but I'm very afraid to drive here if I'm panicking.  I am only wondering if anyone has dealt with this kind of issue before. If renewing my US license is NOT an option, then I'll just accept that but right now I'm just confused about what my options are. I am in a position to apply for my provisional for now at least.

According the California DMV, you might be able to renew your license online.  I have no idea about the residency requirements though.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/driver-license-id-card-online-renewal/

I really struggled with gaining the confidence to get my UK license.  Just when I would start to feel confident, I would make an error and my confidence would drop.

I took lots of lessons.  I think most instructors offer a discount if you purchase a block of lessons.  I also found Youtube videos helpful.  Some videos show a student on a mock test and the instructor gives lots of explanation on any faults they make. 

I wish you all the best.

I believe it differs from state to state.

When I moved, I was gutted to learn that my state (MA) did not allow renewals if you were not maintaining lawful physical presence in the state for the majority of the year. 

REAL ID is a thing that’s being introduced in the USA by 2023.  Each state varies a bit (about what you can do NOW versus waiting until 2023) but essentially the purpose of REAL ID is that RESIDENTS hold licenses and not non-residents. It’s technically a terrorism thing and not against people who have emigrated, but it affects us all.

Long story short, you may be able to renew until 2023 but then it’ll be invalid after that magic date that REAL ID is required.

What I would recommend is asking an instructor to take you to an industrial estate on a weekend for lessons at the start.  They are SO QUIET and you hopefully won’t panic as there won’t be any other cars.  And if you do panic, it’s okay!  You won’t be the first, you won’t be the last. 

It’s funny how our minds work.  Not too long before I moved here, I got in a rather serious crash in the USA.  I was t-boned by a giant 7 seater SUV straight into my drivers door. Airbags, totalled cars, the lot. The other driver ran a red light.  I have ZERO issue driving in the U.K. as “roundabouts and other side of the car”. But in the USA, I automatically hesitate and look before passing through a green light!  Totally has to do with being on “that” side of the car and traffic lights.  But our mind is technically there to protect us, so try to be kind to yourself!

Long story short, you may be able to renew until 2023 but then it’ll be invalid after that magic date that REAL ID is required.

Is REAL ID making standard licenses invalid in 2023?  You'll need a REAL ID for proof of identification to fly, but I haven't read that states are eliminating standard licenses at that point. 

From what I understand, I don't think standard licenses will automatically be invalid for driving in 2023, but may be invalid for other applications (as you mentioned, proof of ID for domestic flying).  And if you apply for, or renew, your license after 2023, it will have to meet REAL ID requirements.  You won't have a choice between a REAL ID license or standard license. 

And some states are introducing it now, so effectively, all license renewals from now on for those states will be subject to REAL ID requirements when renewing.  My mom renewed her driving license in CT recently, and CT is only issuing REAL ID compliant licenses now.  MA, on the other hand, appears to still be allowing you to choose if you want to get a REAL ID license (if renewing now), or if you want an ordinary standard driving license.

Is REAL ID making standard licenses invalid in 2023?  You'll need a REAL ID for proof of identification to fly, but I haven't read that states are eliminating standard licenses at that point. 

I’m glad Aquila clarified. If your license lasts longer than REAL ID, just know that’s your last US license. And it is valid until expiration, unless a state decided to confuse things further.

I only keep my Florida DL for Florida resident discounts but I’ve learned that deals for Disney are actually BETTER from the U.K. than as a Florida resident.  But still nice to get discount hotels. I don’t use it for legal purposes.  They want to ID my 1980 with two crazy kids, they can try to find the dates and figure out the European date format to see I am old and NEED MY MARGARITA!

How do you renew from the UK though? That is my main issue here. Renewing while I live here, but still have an address in Louisiana. I also don't have that "renew notice" identification number, so I can't do it right now anyway. I suspected that if I let it expire then go over there in person in a year or something I'm not sure how that would work. I don't have a car registered to me or anything like that anymore.

I'm afraid that it might not be possible to renew from the UK if your state is strict about it.  Frustratingly, even before REAL ID was a thing, it varied from state to state if you were even eligible to renew while living abroad (and if so, how it had to be done).

In the past, some members have only been able to renew in-person, and had to time a US visit to correspond with their upcoming license expiry.  Others were able to renew online from the UK, but some were advised that online renewals aren't permitted in succession, so the next time the license needed renewal, they needed to do it in person.  And some states were adamant that you can't have a license if you aren't maintaining actual residency in that state anymore.

It appears that LA began issuing REAL ID compliant licenses back in 2016 - I guess the question is whether you still get to choose between a standard license or a REAL ID license.  If they've now adopted the stance that all licenses issued from now on will be REAL ID compliant, unfortunately, you won't be able to renew from the UK.

Did you do your last license renewal online?  If so, that might be that you aren't being permitted to do another online renewal since your last one was done that way?  In which case, unfortunately, you would have to visit a branch to renew in-person and couldn't do it from the UK.

I found this, which appears to indicate that you do have a choice when renewing prior to 2023:

​Legislation was enacted in 2016 (La. R.S. 32:410) which authorized Louisiana to issue both REAL ID Act compliant and non-compliant driver's licenses and identification cards in order to allow persons the option of whether or not they would like their state issued identification to meet the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act.​

But then there's this, which seems to suggest that it's done in-person?

Eligible applicants can receive a driver's license or identification card that is compliant with REAL ID or not compliant with REAL ID. Applicants are required to indicate if he or she would like a REAL ID compliant and non-compliant driver's license or special identification card on paperwork at the Office of Motor Vehicles.​​

https://appengine.egov.com/apps/la/realid

I suspect it might be difficult to ask for clarification from the UK; do you have any friends/family in LA that might be willing to ask at a local branch on your behalf?

How do you renew from the UK though? That is my main issue here. Renewing while I live here, but still have an address in Louisiana. I also don't have that "renew notice" identification number, so I can't do it right now anyway. I suspected that if I let it expire then go over there in person in a year or something I'm not sure how that would work. I don't have a car registered to me or anything like that anymore.

Is the address on your current license still accurate?  If so, it’s likely they haven’t sent the renewal notification yet.