Driver's license in the USA - how to get it

[LongGone]

Soon I am going to move to USA and it would be great to have a car and have the chance to see all those amazing places. My main problem is the fact that I don't have driver's license and I won't be able to get one before I go.

Do you know how much , more or less, does a driver's course cost? How difficult is to get one, and how much is for car insurance ( estimated, of course, I know it all depends..) ? How does a driver's course look like? How long does it take to pass the course?

Up to this point I was convinced that I can live without a car..

Can anyone help me with my question?

[jblsmith]

State governments issue drivers' licenses, as such requirements may vary from state-to-state, but in general they are fairly similar across the country. I gather that you will be attending the University of Maine so the first place to check would be with the Maine Department of Transportation. Here is a link to the Maine Bereau of Motor Vehicles, this site should have all the pertinent information and contacts:

http://www.state.me.us/sos/bmv/

States honor each other's drivers licenses so a license issued in California would be valid in New York. In most cases, if someone moves from California to New York, New York would allow that person to simple swap out their California license for a New York license (after paying a nominal administrative fee of course). I don't know if it works the same for an international driver's license, but if you currently have a driver's license issued from your home state it may be something to ask your newly adopted bureaucrats.

[eklavya]

To answer your questions directly: (along with my experiences/examples)

Cost - pretty sure it varies by states, but I paid ~200$ for a 2 weeks course which comprised of about 10 hours of theory (in-class instruction) and 10 hours of practice (4 driving + 6 watching someone else drive). this was 4 years ago.

Passing the course - you don't pass/fail the course, as it is supposed to prepare you to pass the real driving tests: written and road. if you bring a license from your country, i believe most state will exempt you from the written test and only test your road knowledge (i.e. practical, on the road testing). but don't take my word for it. also, most states require that you score 80% to pass the written and road test, which is a B-. talk about easy!

i passed both written and road test the first time. in my experience, the driving course prepared me really well for both tests, plus taught me how to be a good driver.

Insurance - depends on the state (crime rate, taxation, road condition, etc), your car's age (older = usually cheaper to insure), your driving record (no tickets, experienced driver = low insurance costs) and so on. currently, i pay ~45$ a month on my 2003 mustang. if you choose higher deductibles, the less you pay for car insurance, but you will pay more out of your pocket if anything happens.

Edited July 19, 2011 by bhikhaari

[foolish.nostalgia]

This also varies state to state, but my international friends who study here are allowed to use their international license for six months before they are required to apply for and obtain a U.S. issued license.