Photo: Oregon Department of Transportation, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When you move to a new state and become a resident, you must transfer your driver’s license to that state. The deadline and the tests depend on the state you move to. New York, for example, gives you 30 days and only asks for a vision test. California asks out-of-state drivers to pass its knowledge test. This guide shows what to expect and what to check before you go to the DMV.
Key facts
- The deadline is set by your new state. New York: within 30 days of becoming a resident.
- You can hold only one license. The Driver License Compact, which PennDOT lists as covering 45 states plus DC, is built on “one license, one record”: you surrender your old license when you get a new one.
- Tests vary. New York: vision test only. California: vision exam plus knowledge test(s).
- Teens: permit time from your old state may count toward the new state’s holding period (California and Oregon say it does).
- Register and insure your car in the new state too. New York will not accept out-of-state insurance for a New York-registered vehicle.
How long do you have to transfer your license after moving?
There is no national deadline. Each state sets its own, and they differ. New York requires you to exchange within 30 days of becoming a resident and treats living in the state for 90 days as presumptive evidence of residency. Check your new state’s DMV page for “new residents” and note the start date: it usually runs from when you become a resident, not from when your old license expires.
What the DMV usually asks for
- Your current license. It is surrendered when you get the new one. New York only exchanges a license that has your photo, is valid or expired by less than 24 months, and was issued at least 6 months before you apply.
- Identity, Social Security and residency documents. Bring proof of your new address; check how many documents your state wants. If you want a REAL ID, see the REAL ID document checklist.
- A vision test. New York accepts a vision test at the DMV or a completed Eye Test Report (MV-619).
- Tests, if your new state requires them. California requires knowledge test(s) for out-of-state license holders, with three attempts to pass each one. Neither New York nor California lists a road test for a valid license from another US state, but check your new state.
- The fee. Check the current figure on your new state’s DMV fee page.
Two states compared
| New York | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 30 days after becoming a resident | Check dmv.ca.gov |
| Tests | Vision test | Vision exam and knowledge test(s) |
| Also needed | Surrender old license, pay fee | Application, photo, thumbprint scan |
When you cannot simply exchange
New York lists licenses it will not exchange:
- Suspended or revoked licenses.
- Hardship or employment-only licenses.
- Licenses marked “non-renewable” or “non-transferable”.
- Lost or stolen licenses. Get a replacement or a letter from your old state first.
Under the Driver License Compact, your record follows you between member states, so an open suspension in your old state can block a new license. See points systems and license suspensions.
Moving with a learner’s permit or a teen license
- New York will not exchange an out-of-state permit for a New York permit. You apply for a New York permit.
- California counts an instruction permit from another state toward its 6-month permit requirement before the drive test.
- Oregon also counts an out-of-state permit toward its 6-month permit requirement.
- Your new state’s teen rules (curfews, passenger limits) apply once you hold its license. Compare them in US graduated driver licensing compared.
Only visiting another state on a permit? See driving with a learner’s permit in another state.
Do not forget the car
- Register the vehicle in the new state and get insurance that meets its rules. See car insurance for new drivers.
- Leaving New York: surrender your New York plates and registration before you cancel your New York insurance. If you cancel first, New York warns your coverage lapses and DMV may suspend your registration and possibly your license.
State-by-state transfer guides
- California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho
- Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina
- Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas
Coming from another country? See driving in the US on a foreign license. All states: learning to drive in the USA.
Common questions
Do I have to retake the driving test when I move states?
Usually not if your license is valid, but some states test knowledge (California does) and an expired license can trigger more tests. Check your new state’s rules.
Can I keep my old license as well?
No. The Driver License Compact’s “one driver license” rule means you surrender the old card when you apply.
I am a college student living in another state. Do I need to switch?
It depends on whether that state treats you as a resident. Read the residency definition on its DMV site; some states treat students differently.
Do my points or tickets transfer?
Your driving record follows you between Driver License Compact states, though each state decides how to treat out-of-state convictions.
What if my license expired before I moved?
New York exchanges licenses expired by less than 24 months. Other states set their own limits, and some ask for tests.
Sources
- New York State DMV, “Exchange an out-of-state driver license” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State DMV, “Moving to or from New York State” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State DMV, “Driving in New York State” (dmv.ny.gov)
- California DMV, “Driver’s Licenses” and “California Driver’s Handbook: Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License” (dmv.ca.gov)
- Oregon DMV, “Oregon Driver Manual: Other Important Information” (oregon.gov)
- Pennsylvania DMV (PennDOT), “Driver License Compact FAQs” (pa.gov)