Transferring Canadian Driver License to Connecticut

Metaleon

New Member
Greetings, Canadian here on TN Visa! I was hoping if someone is able to answer a few questions before I go to the DMV to exchange my driver license:

1. Do I need to bring a copy of my Canadian driving record?

2. Is there a verification process for the Canadian license that needs to be done beforehand or at the DMV office? (Since I know a few states have to check if a foreign license is valid)

3. Lastly, what happens to the Canadian license, is it destroyed or is it shipped back to Canada?

I have all the documents they labeled on the DMV website, but I just want to double check if I need to bring anything else since I heard the wait at the DMV can be very long. Thank you!
 
Greetings, Canadian here on TN Visa! I was hoping if someone is able to answer a few questions before I go to the DMV to exchange my driver license:

1. Do I need to bring a copy of my Canadian driving record?

2. Is there a verification process for the Canadian license that needs to be done beforehand or at the DMV office? (Since I know a few states have to check if a foreign license is valid)

3. Lastly, what happens to the Canadian license, is it destroyed or is it shipped back to Canada?

I have all the documents they labeled on the DMV website, but I just want to double check if I need to bring anything else since I heard the wait at the DMV can be very long. Thank you!

Not sure if any changes to the process. Back in 2014, when I moved from Toronto, ON to Hartford, CT - I took my canadian passport, TN I-94 and Canadian Driver's License with me to the DMV. They issued CT D/L with 6 years validity. After issuing the CT DL, they have taken my Canadian License (not sure they have sent it to Ontario or destroyed).
 
Thanks for your reply, did you have to wait a few days for the DMV to verify your license or is there no verification process? (Since, one of my friend transfer his license at another state and he had to wait a few days for the DMV to check that his license is not suspended.)
 
Thanks for your reply, did you have to wait a few days for the DMV to verify your license or is there no verification process? (Since, one of my friend transfer his license at another state and he had to wait a few days for the DMV to check that his license is not suspended.)

Nothing as such.. I remember I got it home in about a week or so... thats it

not sure if they did any verification behind ..
 
Almost all states do a verification process, even if a citizen and even if renewing. Its part of read id process. Pretty rare that you go to DMV and they hand you a DL these days,
 
A student or visitor from another country can drive a car in Connecticut for up to a year if they have a valid international driver's license.
 
In all states, a resident TNer is considered a worker, and not a student nor a visitor, and must license within 30 days.
 
Everybody (doesn't matter citizen or TN holder) gets verified (whatever the security process would be) behind the scene. Similarly, nobody gets the driver license right away. If technically a person is qualified for the (desired) driving license then you have to prove that you live at that place/county/city/town etc. Please read your area documents requirement. After that you pay the fee at the counter. The security check process mostly gets verified right away and the person after fulfilling the driver-license requirement, gets the temporary license right away. Then you get the driving license after a week or after two weeks etc. If further security verification would be required then you wouldn't get the temporary license. If it is person's first time (no previous driving license) then that person will wait until security gets done which can take several months. If you have previous (unexpired) driving license then you take it back and wait for the security clearance. Technically, anyone who moved to a new state (does not matter citizen or TN holder) should apply for the new license in 30 days. But if a person is waiting on a security clearance then what can that person do other than wait and do the job.
 
It doesn't prevent you from driving (you still have your Cdn license), and it certainly has nothing to do with whether you can work or not.
 
I have seen people driving full year with out of state license. However at some point in time, if police catch then lot of issues. Or if accident happened then lot of issues with insurance company from the back country or from other state. Insurance companies covered to drive for maximum of a month for such cases (from the date moved) provided the person has a proper coverage. Otherwise habituals drive even without a license or without coverage. Medical system is different in both countries, in case any accident happened.

I agree there is no relationship between work and driving license unless otherwise job requires to have a proper license.
 
If the license is not written in English or Spanish, it must be accompanied by an IDP that acts as an English translation of the foreign license.
 
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