My U.S. driver's license is about to expire. What to do next visit to U.S.?

Help! I've been living in London for over a year now and will be traveling back to the U.S. for a visit in October.  I've just noticed that my U.S. driver's license will expire at the end of September.  I will be visiting my parents who live in the suburbs and would really like to be able to drive while I'm there.  I have not obtained a UK driver's license while living here but been using public transport.  Has anyone else been in this position and know whether there's a way I can drive legally while in the U.S.?  I'm aware that there are International Driver's Licenses that you can get through AAA but they say they need to be backed up by a legal license which I won't have. 

Can you renew your license online with your parents address?  I think it depends on the state and if you need a new picture, etc. 

it really will depend on the state, but you should be able to renew it in person while you're there using your parents address (if they live in the same state your license is from).  My Texas drivers license expires in November and I'm going to be there in October so I'll just go down and renew it as normal (although in Texas, you can also renew it online if your last renewal was done in person.) I usually then get a temporary piece of paper on the spot that I could use as a license while the real one is produced and mailed to me.

My Texas license expired in April and they would not let me renew online because I had renewed online last time it expired.   They did allow me to fill out an out of State renewal application, which I had to send through the post. They posted my license to me in the UK, but I did have to use a Texas address for the license. (I used my parents)

Your best bet is to find the website of your state's DMV and see what it says. If it's not clear, just phone them and ask.

I'm in a similar situation. My license expires in February and I probably won't be going home until March. It wouldn't be a huge deal, but my parents don't live in the same state as my license, so I'm in a bit of a pickle. My state doesn't make renewing an easy task. I think I'm going to have to call and plead my case.

I'm in a similar situation. My license expires in February and I probably won't be going home until March. It wouldn't be a huge deal, but my parents don't live in the same state as my license, so I'm in a bit of a pickle. My state doesn't make renewing an easy task. I think I'm going to have to call and plead my case.

My parents live in a different state from my license too, so when I next go home, I'm going to become a resident of that state so that I can keep my license in good standing. 

Any friends who live in the state your license is from who wouldn't mind using the address?

I currently reside in Georgia but don't plan to return here in the future.  When I need to renew my license (if I'm not living in the US), I'd like to use my parents address in Ohio.

But isn't proof of residence required when changing an address?

 

My mother recently moved to Maine. As my NJ license was coming up for renewal, and I no longer had an address there, I was able to get a license in Maine on the basis of two affidavits from Maine residents (my mother and my brother). It all comes down to what the state's procedures are. I definitely don't think this would have worked in NJ, as they are very strict.

Unfortunately, I now realize that Maine is one of those pesky states that taxes on domicile and not residency (and having a license in the state can be viewed as having domicile in the state). So I may actually have to relinquish this license so I will not be subject to filing Maine state taxes (although I wouldn't necessarily owe--would still be a pain to file). I've now come to the decision that if I have to give up having a US license, so be it. I'm pretty sure I would pass the test if we ever moved back, and I should (crosses fingers) have a UK license soon.

My parents live in a different state from my license too, so when I next go home, I'm going to become a resident of that state so that I can keep my license in good standing. 

Can't you be liable to the state's income taxes if you are a resident?

Can't you be liable to the state's income taxes if you are a resident?

Different states have different rules about taxation and residency. NJ, for instance, did not consider me a resident for tax purposes despite the fact that I maintained an address at my mother's house (mail from my bank, license, registered to vote, etc), due to me living outside the country. With Maine, it might be a different story, since they tax based on domicile, which I may have (unfortunately) now established. I'm still looking into all of this.

It would be worth looking into your state's rules.

Yeah, I am curious - because I was a resident of Florida, they didn't have income tax, so I wouldn't have to pay, but Massachusetts, where my parents live, have all kinds of taxes! Hmmm, I will need to investigate further. 
But I definitely don't want to loose my US license, I never want go through the testing process ever again!! 

Yeah, I am curious - because I was a resident of Florida, they didn't have income tax, so I wouldn't have to pay, but Massachusetts, where my parents live, have all kinds of taxes! Hmmm, I will need to investigate further. 
But I definitely don't want to loose my US license, I never want go through the testing process ever again!! 

From what I understand, you should definitely take advice before switching to MA (same issues as Maine). I haven't yet figured out if a license alone would require one to file state taxes in domicile states. But I wish I had looked into this before.

Thanks Kate_mate, I will inquire further.  Certainly when actually living in Mass, I don't mind paying (well not too much! ) the taxes, because then I benefit from them, but not living there, I don't want to pay for services I don't use! 

Thanks Kate_mate, I will inquire further.  Certainly when actually living in Mass, I don't mind paying (well not too much! ) the taxes, because then I benefit from them, but not living there, I don't want to pay for services I don't use! 

Exactly!

In any case, I realise that I may be fretting over nothing, but I wish that I had done all this research before I changed anything. What's done is done, now I just have to figure out the implications, and what to do next.