drivers license

Well, according to the nice Public Safety Officer who stopped me the other day - once you have been here for a continuous 90 days you better have one or they can (and likely will) ticket you for driving without a valid license.

There are some good threads on this not far back - do a search on it.
Seems I recall if you relinquish your valid stateside license you can bypass lots of the process.

Also - seems like the mood of the staff that day makes a huge difference. I went for car inspection. He sat in the booth - looked out at the car and said "Looks good to me" and signed/stamped the form. LOL!

All I can say is Good Luck! I did find that if you get there before they open and are one of the first ones (1-5) it goes fairly quick. But I also found that if you get there about 9 - 9:15 you have missed the original onslaught of people and there are only 1 or 2 there. I was in and out (registration) in 20 minutes.

Why in the world would I need to get a VI drivers license when the Virgin Islands are US possessions and I'm a US citizen with a valid license in my legal state of residence? This seems so strange to me. Is there a written test and/or a driving test involved too? If not, then it really is pointless. :S

I've been here over 4 months now and never even considered the need to get a VI drivers license. I DO remember the previous posts about this but I got the impression that it really wasn't necessary. (I'm going to do a search and re-read the info.)

darn... I don't like finding out that I'm breaking the law, but it sure seems like a dumb one.

1. Go to DMV get papers for medical exam and paper to apply for lic. Will cost $$ 5.00 if I remember correctly.
2. Go get medical exam.
3.Get 2 passport photos
4. Talk the exam , application and photos back to DMV
5. You will have picture taken and told how much to pay...then you wait!
* note: You can get phyical at any walk in clinic.

Welcome to Paradise!!
Peg

Hi Deb,
It seems at first a crazy idea that you would need to get a VI driver's license because you already have a stateside license. But, you may not know that if you moved to a different state, you would also be required to obtain a driver's license in that state. I was nailed after driving around with an Ohio license for over a year in Florida and the fine was huge. Also, I imagine, you need to get a VI license to prove how great you can drive on the left!!

Just like if you move to say Ohio from Michigan - you have only so long to get a valid STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE. It is a state id not federal.

I found out that you no longer have to take the test or get a medical exam. You go to the police station, fill out the form, provide 2 passport photos, turn in your stateside license and get your VI license. Should not take more than 30 minutes (give or take a bit depending on the line).

I still think you need to have an eye exam. Pearle Vision does them here on STX along with your physical.

Jim

I went last Friday to get my drivers license. Got there at 9:45 and it took 15 minutes to pay and turn in my VA license. The lady explained that there was a "slight" delay getting my picture taken. 2 1/2 hours later I walked out with license in hand. You never know so always take a book! As long as your stateside license is currently valid you don't need to take any tests or bring any photos. Hope this helps.

Patstx, did you go to the office on St. Croix? Its sounding like the process is easier there than on St. Thomas due simply to the fact that the medical form isn't required.

Okay... I get it now. 🙁 I've never lived outstide the state of Michigan before now, so I didn't even consider the comparison of moving from one state to another within the U.S.

But what I don't understand is why it isn't required that drivers who transfer from the U.S. take a written test and a driving test in order to obtain a driver's license. I'm a very good driver and took to driving on the left side fairly quickly, but others may not be as quick to learn as I was. (I have driven by a couple of head-on accidents in the short time I've been here.) Also... if they have different driving rules (other than allowing open alcohol containers in a moving vehicle, while NOT allowing you to use a cell phone), it would be a good idea to make sure that drivers know about them..

Now... I'm sure that I could voluntarily take these tests, but I wonder why this isn't a safety concern here in the Virgin Islands. If they care enough in St. Thomas and St. John to make people pass a physical exam before issuing their license, doesn't it also make sense that they should verify that they know HOW to drive here?

(okay... I'll get off my soap box now... 🙂 )

Debralu-

What I CAN say, with all certainty, is that if you continue to ask "Why" (why we do things they way we do, why do I have to..., why don't we..., etc.), you'll probably drive yourself crazy! And, typically, after a few months, the ones that continue to ask "Why", tend to move back to America. Why? Haha!

In my almost nine years here, what I have learned is to accept things the way they are, because that's the way they've always been done and that's the way we will continue to do them. It's part of what makes our home so unique! Haha!

Well put. Vive la difference. Helps keep the rif raf out! HaHa.

Peace.... bert

Even when you move from state to state, you usually don't have to take a test. As long as your old license is valid. I've had drivers license in, 6 different states.

Elwyn

Just an update on our experience getting a license on STX.

Our son had been traveling and let his stateside license expire. When he arrived to visit us we suggested he get a VI license so he could get about the island.

This took six visits to the DMV over ten days to complete the process. Time involved fourteen hours. On the fourth visit the inspector who gives the road test wasn't working. He decided to take five days off and just stood everyone else up who had scheduled a road test. The inspector was surly and had a real bad attitude. Very un professional. During the road test the inspector talked with his buddies on his cell phone.

Better luck to everyone else who has to go through the complete process to get a driver's license on STX. Patience is truly a virtue you need to get along in the Virgin Islands.

Jim

This issue about driver's licenses has been perpetuated for years and the same remains the same. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes its not.

However, Ii you're driving a vehicle registered to you in the VI and you carry a stateside license but have been here for 90 days and haven't bothered to get a VI Driver's l:icense, then be aware that if you get pulled over for even a minor infraction, you could not only be ticketed but jailed.

Cheers!

Hello zdphotos,

We have a page on this site about shipping a car and at the end it talks about driver's license. We updated it a couple months back by contacting the DMV on STT, STJ and STX and here is the information provided:

Valid driver's licenses from anywhere in the United States are good for 90 days after arrival in the US Virgin Islands. If your driver's license is from elsewhere you would need to get a temporary license.

If you do not have a valid license you will have to complete necessary application/medical forms and take both the written and the road test.

You can find more details on the medical form and test on the shipping a car page.

Linda from Mich is right; getting there early is good and often the mood of the person you get while at DMV can effect how quickly you get in and out. Everyone that lives here has DMV stories... a few good ones, a few frustrating ones. 😉

I think the slightly different notes about the medical form is because of living on STT vs. STX - when we had called the STX DMV they hadn't mentioned the medical form and they were asked about it. The STT & STJ DMV had said the medical form was necessary.

And... I have a friend who went for a VI license just today in STT and was in and out in about 45 minutes. Said they had to fill out a renewal/application form, show social security card & proof of nationality and turn in valid stateside license. No medical form if you have a valid license is what was said. However the cashier said a medical form was needed and wasn't willing to process the application without the medical form (and passport photos the medical form asks for). They went back and forth on this point and then another employee was asked and he confirmed no medical form. It was $35. So it seems maybe the STT DMV is moving to adopting the no medical form like the STX office.

--Islander

Hello Debralu,

Not very long ago drivers holding valid driver's licenses from the states had to take the written exam in addition to trading in their stateside license to get a VI license. It is only recently that taking the test became unnecessary.

The drivers license system in the various states differ, but I think most just trade your previous valid license from a US place (including the USVI) for one from the state you moved to, in addition to requiring application/id etc. A few do require taking tests.

I've sometimes thought the opposite of you... that we in the VI don't have merge lanes, freeways, high traffic speed limits etc. and that drivers holding valid VI licenses should be required to take the road and written test when moving to the states since the driving situation is so different. Maybe it comes down to thinking, if you know how to drive - you know how to drive and you will learn the ways of the road and the rules as you go along *-).

--Islander

Islander: I think it is a good idea for people to at least read through the old driver's manual. It used to be available on The Source, don't know if that is still true. However, it doesn't really teach defensive or courteous driving. If you are going too slowly for traffic, pull over. Don't tailgate. Don't pass someone on the right when they are turning right. Don't pass over a double yellow line on a blind turn. When horses run at you down the middle of the road, pull over and pray they don't hit you. Also, don't hit cows or goats in the road. Don't use your bright lights when there is oncoming traffic. Don't use your safari bus as a weapon of intimidation. The speed limit on St Thomas is 35- mph, not Mach! Turn your headlights (not parking lights) on at dusk and when it is raining. Smile. We will all get to our destination.