Oregon driver's license

[libvan]

A friend currently studying as an international student in Oregon is having a lot of trouble getting a local driver's license. I'm hoping someone here has gone through the same thing and can help explain/fix the problem!

He applied for a state license and gave up his Canadian license when he got to Portland last fall. He showed his F-1 visa and did the written driver's test. However, the license they issued him only lasted for 90 days before he had to renew it. When he went in to renew it, they told him he could only get 90-day licenses and would have to renew every time. No one at the DMV counter could explain why he isn't able to get a longer-lasting license.

Has anyone else had to deal with this? Why can't he get one that lasts at least a year? Does it have something to do with residency? Insuring his car is pretty difficult when the license doesn't last more than 90 days, and going to the DMV so often is not ideal when you're in classes 9-5 on weekdays.

I'm also invested knowing in the answer as I'm considering accepting an offer from U Oregon in the fall - hope someone can shed light on the situation!

[TakeruK]

I don't know about Oregon specifically, but as a Canadian moving to California, I had to redo the whole California licensing process (written test and road test) because California does not recognize any international licenses. However, I did not give up my Canadian license. In fact, you should never surrender your Canadian license to anyone else but the authority that issued said license! I don't know what your friend did, but if you go to Oregon, do not give them your Canadian license! (**When I told the California DMV that I had a Canadian license, they asked to see it and stuck a "NOT VALID IN CALIFORNIA" sticker on it. I agree that it's not valid but when I got home, I took the sticker off because 1) I don't plan on using it in California, and 2) the California DMV doesn't have the authority to attach stickers to my Canadian license lol).

I don't know what happened with your friend. In California, when you take the written test, you get a probationary license (need to have an adult licensed driver with you) that is valid for 1 year or until you pass your road test. When you arrive in Oregon, you should go to the DMV and do the paperwork to get a brand new license. Maybe your friend is getting 90 day visitor permit licenses or something weird (again, sorry I don't know how Oregon works). Or, maybe he needs to pass a road test before he can get a longer than 90 day license. In California, you should approach the licensing process as if you are a new driver. I would not even say that you already have a license elsewhere unless they ask you about it. You get a 5 year license (like in most Canadian provinces) when you pass the road test.

[libvan]

@TakeruK, thanks for the quick reply! My wording might have been confusing - the Oregon DMV invalidated his BC license by punching a hole through it but he still has the physical card. And in fact, my police officer stepfather says that you can only hold one valid license at a time (and that license should be issued by the authority where you live), so you should not be using your Canadian license. You can drive in Canada with a California license, so that shouldn't be a problem when visiting home. If/when you move back to Canada, you can get your Canadian license back (and cancel or let lapse your California license).

I was hoping that someone in Oregon specifically would have some insight on this - I can't see why he would only be able to get some kind of short-term visitor's permit when he has a visa that specifies the length of time he's living there. Doesn't make any sense to me. From previous searches, it seems not all states require both a written and a driver's test when you are simply switching from a different area (rather than getting an entirely new license with no prior driving experience). If the problem is that he needs to take a driving exam, why wouldn't anyone at the DMV office be able to tell him that? What confuses me the most is that the DMV themselves can't explain what's going on.

[TakeruK]

1 hour ago, libvan said:

@TakeruK, thanks for the quick reply! My wording might have been confusing - the Oregon DMV invalidated his BC license by punching a hole through it but he still has the physical card. And in fact, my police officer stepfather says that you can only hold one valid license at a time (and that license should be issued by the authority where you live), so you should not be using your Canadian license. You can drive in Canada with a California license, so that shouldn't be a problem when visiting home. If/when you move back to Canada, you can get your Canadian license back (and cancel or let lapse your California license).

Yes, I agree with this and I think the right thing to do is to take the Canadian license back to the issuing authority. They will take the license back and reissue you a new one when you return to Canada because as you said, you can only use one license at a time. My issue with the US DMVs is that the US DMV should not be the one "deactivating" our Canadian licenses (by punching a hole or putting stickers on it). 

[libvan]

19 hours ago, TakeruK said:

I think the right thing to do is to take the Canadian license back to the issuing authority. They will take the license back and reissue you a new one when you return to Canada because as you said, you can only use one license at a time. My issue with the US DMVs is that the US DMV should not be the one "deactivating" our Canadian licenses (by punching a hole or putting stickers on it). 

I personally agree (and more communication between issuing authorities would be nice), but I think officially it's a bit of a grey area with nothing specifically mandated.

In any case, if any international students in Oregon could shed some light on this, I'd really appreciate it!