change driver's license for prelim year?

[ChocolateKiss]

I am moving to a new state for 1 year to do my prelim and then another state for my residency. Do I need to change my driver's license twice, or is it okay to keep my current driver's license and change only once I start my advanced residency as a PGY2?

I've tried finding information on the DMV site for my prelim state with no success. I know students can keep their home state drivers' licenses while they are in a state temporarily for school. Can medical trainees do the same thing?

Just wondering if anyone knows how this works...

And do I also have to change my license plates/car registration twice?

Sigh. Moving sucks.

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[Bobblehead]

Call the DMV if the website doesn't have the answer.

 

[Keg]

AFAIK, if you're working in a state and living in a state, you have to register in that state (change your tags, license, etc.) You usually have between 30 and 90 days of "establishing residence" to complete that process. So, in short, yeah, you'll have to change it twice

 

[southerndoc]

Laws vary by state. Some states require you to get a new driver's license within 30 days. Of course they'll never know unless you get pulled over for a ticket or are in an accident. Some insurance companies can (and have) refused to pay for accidents because you weren't properly registered in the state. This happened to a friend of mine. He moved out of state and had been living in another state for 4 months when he was in a minor accident. The insurance company refused to pay for his vehicle (but paid for the other vehicle's repair since it was his fault). They proved he had lived out of state for 4 months (not sure how they knew that), didn't change his driver's license, and still had his car registered in his original state (which had a better rate).

 

[unimaginative]

Most states would require that you get a license and register the vehicle in the state in which you make your residence. They all have their own definitions but basically if you live there for more than 90 days you own it.

However, the issue with the insurance companies mentioned above isn't quite right. Most insurers don't care where the vehicle is registered but they do care where the vehicle is kept at night and where it is primarily operated because that is what dictates their costs and thus your rates. For many insurers, mine included, I just tell them where I am operating the vehicle and they change the policy accordingly including the rate. This is of primary importance since auto insurance is regulated at the state level and your policy must conform to the state in which you operate the vehicle. If it doesn't and are in accident it could be a huge problem.

I've lived in 5 states over the last 10 years and am very very slow to change my license and registration. Often staying for >2 years without changing and skipping some states entirely. While I have undoubtedly been violating the law I have never been given too much grief from the police on the occasions that I have been pulled over. I would guess if you were only staying for a year that in the event you were ever pulled over that excuse would probably been acceptable.

 

[RussianJoo]

Most states would require that you get a license and register the vehicle in the state in which you make your residence. They all have their own definitions but basically if you live there for more than 90 days you own it.

However, the issue with the insurance companies mentioned above isn't quite right. Most insurers don't care where the vehicle is registered but they do care where the vehicle is kept at night and where it is primarily operated because that is what dictates their costs and thus your rates. For many insurers, mine included, I just tell them where I am operating the vehicle and they change the policy accordingly including the rate. This is of primary importance since auto insurance is regulated at the state level and your policy must conform to the state in which you operate the vehicle. If it doesn't and are in accident it could be a huge problem.

I've lived in 5 states over the last 10 years and am very very slow to change my license and registration. Often staying for >2 years without changing and skipping some states entirely. While I have undoubtedly been violating the law I have never been given too much grief from the police on the occasions that I have been pulled over. I would guess if you were only staying for a year that in the event you were ever pulled over that excuse would probably been acceptable.

i was just gonna say this... I know many people who moved to a different state and kept their car and drivers license for a few years before changing them... i don't think it's a big deal the cops/dmv don't know when you moved here or how long you're staying, also you won't get asked unless you get pulled over, so bottom line is don't get pulled over and you'll be okay. why deal with the hassle of changing everything multiple times and paying multiple fees. how often do you get pulled over anyway?

 

[Haole]

I've been pulled over in that situation a few times. Cops just asked why I hadn't changed my license and I gave them the old medical student/resident spiel, only here temporarily, blah blah blah and they never cared. They just told me "you should probably get a new license"...sure thing homie!

Even if you were to get a ticket, it would likely be one where you could just "fix it" and pay a court fee of like $10 bucks. It's like gambling. If you get away with it, you save the $100 bucks or so a new license costs. I lived in three different states with my home state license. I just barely got a new license cuz my old one expired. Suckas!

 

[Haole]

Laws vary by state. Some states require you to get a new driver's license within 30 days. Of course they'll never know unless you get pulled over for a ticket or are in an accident. Some insurance companies can (and have) refused to pay for accidents because you weren't properly registered in the state. This happened to a friend of mine. He moved out of state and had been living in another state for 4 months when he was in a minor accident. The insurance company refused to pay for his vehicle (but paid for the other vehicle's repair since it was his fault). They proved he had lived out of state for 4 months (not sure how they knew that), didn't change his driver's license, and still had his car registered in his original state (which had a better rate).

That would suck though...I hadn't thought about that

 

[edmadison]

That would suck though...I hadn't thought about that

When I worked in the County Attorney's Office, we prosecuted several cases like these. It goes down as driving without a license and driving and unregistered motor vehicle. The likelihood of getting caught is very low, however. As mentioned, definitely adjust your insurance, even if it does cost you a bit.

Ed

 

[deleted77919]

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[Guile]

I wouldn't worry about changing your license and registration. Not only do you have to suffer through the lines at the DMV and pay a lot of fees, but it would only become an issue if you got pulled over and if the cop gave you trouble. So you could either lie to the cop ("I'm visiting"), which I wouldn't recommend, or just say you're a resident in graduate medical training and only there temporarily. If your registration matches your license, chances are very high that the cop won't even say anything. I doubt they question every single person they pull over with OOS license and registration. Bottomline: I wouldn't worry about it. As someone else mentioned, it's a small gamble, but honestly the ticket for not changing your registration is probably less than what you'd have to pay to get new tags/license. I would, however, update your new address with your insurance company. They only care where you park your car. Not updating them when you park it in a different state could be considered fraud.

 

[anonymousEM]

I had to register or produce the proper student paperwork from my university to get a street parking sticker in DC. It would've been more work to try to get this from the University every quarter during my 2 years of fellowship than it was to just go to the DMV (and emissions inspection!) once.