I last renewed my California drivers license in February or March 1991
and have been living in Japan ever since. Eventually I'll move back.
But in the interim I may need to visit to do some things. I'll have
the means to rent a car, but not the drivers license. Or so I assume;
it's been 11 years since the last one was issued. And in Los Angeles
in particular, ya just gotta be able to drive!
Theoretically I could just arrive, go immediately to a DMV office, get
a pamphlet, study it, come back the next day, take the tests, and be
given a temporary license until the real one comes through.
But _can_ I? What are the waiting periods involved? Can someone whose
actual living address is overseas apply for a California license? (I
use my former address for my absentee voting ballot, but in fact I
have no connection with that address anymore and don't even know if
that building still exists.) Are there any steps that can be done by
mail?
BTW, my driving record is clear -- no tickets, warrants, uncleared
accidents, etc. before I left.
I do not still have my old drivers license.
If needed by a Researcher I can provide further personal details, but
not publically.

Hi there,

Firstly, if you have a license from elsewhere (like Japan) it is okay
to use that license:

"If you are a visitor in California over 18 years old and have a valid
driver license from your home state or country (where you live
permanently), you may drive in this state without getting a California
driver license as long as your home state license remains valid."
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs01thru03.htm#visitorstoca

However, I'm guessing that you don't currently have a license from
anywhere, so this is what you have to do...

Because it expired so long ago, it is not possible to renew it by mail
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#renewbymail

So the only other way is to renew it in person, in California.

- Visit a DMV office (make an appointment for faster service) 
- Complete application form DL 44
- Give a thumb print 
- Have your picture taken 
- Pay the $15 application fee 
- Pass an vision exam 
- Pass a traffic laws and sign test
- After you pass your test you will be issued an interim license valid
for 60 days until you receive your new photo license in the mail
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#RENEW

Locations of California DMV offices
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/fo/regions/california.htm

The DMV web site makes no mention of requiring a California address.

Another alternative is to apply for a Japanese license - in large
cities this can be done in English.

Obtaining a Japanese license
http://www.koyama.co.jp/e1_1.htm

Driver's license office locations in Japan
http://www.koyama.co.jp/e5.htm

Search strategy:

Personal bookmark for the California DMV

"driver's license" Japan
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22driver%27s+license%22+Japan

I hope this answers your question. Feel free to ask for any
clarifications you may require.

Best wishes,
robertskelton-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by evergreen-ga on 20 Jul 2002 03:03 PDT

Thank you, robertskelton![but what's your _real_ name??] 
Your answer covers just about everything. I have only three remaining
Questionlets.
1) Is there any way provided to find out _for sure_ what the residency
requirements are? Seems to me there _must_ be some -- e.g. "must have
resided in California for ___ days prior to application","bring ID
with current address" -- to bar non-residents who might apply for
nefarious purposes.
2) Is there a provision to request the current traffic laws pamphlet
by mail?
3) Can the application, testing, and temporary permit issuance take
place in one visit? I have a notion that the driving test, at least,
may not be get-into-able on the same day as application.

---

Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 21 Jul 2002 17:59 PDT

Hi again evergreen,

1) When answering your original question I trawled their website for
this info, because I expected them to have some rules about proof of
living in California - the best I was able to find was that you need
only to be a legal US resident:

"State law requires every applicant for an original California
identification (ID) card and driver license to show verification of
birth date and proof of legal presence within the United States"
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#BDLP

Your passport of birth certificate will suffice.

They also mention who must get a Californian license, which is a bit
different. It appears to say that obtaining a license in California
determines that you are a Californian resident and therefore you must
get a Californian license:

"When you make your home here or take a job, you must get a California
driver license within 10 days.

Evidence of residency is established by any of the following: voting
in California elections; paying resident tuition at a public
institution of higher education; filing for a home owner's property
tax exemption; obtaining a license; or any other privilege or benefit
not ordinarily extended to nonresidents"
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs01thru03.htm#newresidents

2) They have a number of publications available for reading online,
plus there is a phone number for requesting them by mail:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

The one you want is:

2002 California Driver Handbook
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/driver_handbook_toc.htm

3) Throughout their website, the California DMV suggest booking for
the practical driving test, whereas all the other things you need to
do can be done as a single process. However, because you have
previously held a Californian license, and you are only renewing it
(there is no time limit after expiry), the only tests you need to take
are vision and traffic laws/signs. It might take a little longer for
you, because you don't have your old license to show them, they'll
need to look for your file

To ask someone from the DMV directly about any of your questions,
their contact details are at:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/contacts/contacts.htm

Regarding my name, I was obviously lacking inspiration on the day I
applied for this position, whereas every other researcher here managed
to think of something!

GREAT ANSWER!! The initial response was already very helpful. But when
I came back with some additional clarifications, robertskelton replied
with flying colors! He coverd every single detail, and more (which is
great, because I'm not likely to search as much on my own). So I got
not only all the information I need, but info that lifts a great load
off my shoulders. This is so valuable to me that, if possible, I would
like to change my payment UPWARDS to $20.00.

I think you might be able to get an international license. My friend
from Norway had one.
http://www.international-driver.com/ramka_prawa.htm
http://www.idl-international.com/

Thanks, stockzguy. Those are two useful links and I am passing them
along to other interested parties. Unfortunately for me, one can't get
an international license unless one has a current, valid license from
somewhere else. (Mine expired long ago and I subsequently misplaced
it.)
At your second link offering international licenses issued in the
U.S., I learned that an international license is _not_ valid in the
country that issues it. So, for people wishing to drive in the U.S.,
they have a Honduras-issued license available that is valid in 200
countries. (But you still hae to submit a valid drivers license to get
it.)