Driving Tests

Foreign Driver's License in Connecticut: Who Can Transfer

informational·how to guide·Published April 25, 2026

Can I transfer my foreign driver's license to Connecticut?

Only a valid license from Canada, Germany or France transfers to Connecticut, by the same process as an out-of-state license. A license from any other country does not transfer: you start with an adult learner's permit. A student or visitor may drive on a foreign license for up to one year, and a full-time student with a permanent home outside Connecticut needs no Connecticut license.

Where these Connecticut rules come from

The Connecticut DMV sets out the steps on its driver's license page, its page on transferring an out-of-state license and its adult learner's permit page. The law comes from Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 14-37b (driver training course), Sec. 14-36 (license and 90-day permit rule) and Sec. 14-39 (nonresident drivers). The DMV knowledge and vision test page covers the Work Zone Safety Course, and the DMV road test page and list of approved translators cover translations. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

What your foreign license lets you do in Connecticut

What your foreign license lets you do in Connecticut
Your situation	What the Connecticut DMV says
Valid license from Canada, Germany or France	Transfers to Connecticut by the same process as an out-of-state license, with no learner's permit.
License from any other country	Does not transfer. You get an adult learner's permit first, then a Connecticut license.
Student or visitor	May drive in Connecticut for up to one year with a foreign license (see the IDP rules below).

How to transfer a Canadian, German or French license

1
Check your license
Your license from Canada, Germany or France must be valid. The rest of the process is the same as an out-of-state license transfer.
2
Fill in Form R-229
Complete the application for a non-commercial driver's license (Form R-229).
3
Take a vision test
Take it at one of the DMV full service offices.
4
Go to your in-person appointment
Bring acceptable identification and pay the application and license fees. Non-U.S. citizens who apply for a first-time Connecticut license must go to a DMV hub office.
5
Wait for the mail
Your Connecticut license arrives in the mail within 20 business days.

If your country is not Canada, Germany or France

If your country is not on the DMV list, you cannot transfer your license to Connecticut. Instead, you follow the path for every new driver age 18 or older: an adult learner's permit first, then the courses, practice and a road test. Your earlier license can still remove the 90-day permit wait (see below).

Steps for an adult learner's permit

1
Complete the Work Zone Safety Course
Since January 1, 2026, every learner's permit applicant must complete the free online Connecticut Work Zone Safety Course. Print the certificate and give it to the DMV before your knowledge test. The question on the Work Zone course before testing covers this rule.
2
Pass the vision and knowledge tests
Book an appointment online and pass the vision test and the 25-question knowledge test to get your adult learner's permit.
3
Take the 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course
Take it at a Connecticut-licensed driving school before the road test. The school sends your proof of completion (EDEC certificate) to the DMV.
4
Practice with a qualified trainer
Your trainer must be age 20 or older and licensed for at least four consecutive years, with no suspension in those four years.
5
Take the road test at a DMV hub office
Road tests take place only at DMV hub offices. If you fail, you reschedule for at least 2 weeks after the first test.

Does the 90-day permit wait apply to you?

The law bars a license for an adult permit holder who held the permit for less than 90 days, unless the person is on active military duty outside the state or held a license before. The practice question on the adult permit holding period tests the basic rule.
The DMV counts an out-of-country license as an earlier license, so the 90-day wait does not apply to you. You still need the adult learner's permit. Bring an expired license or a driving history from your previous country. The guide to the Connecticut adult permit over 18 has the full steps.

Visitor or student: do you need a Connecticut license?

You are a full-time student who lives in Connecticut but keeps a permanent home out of state or out of the country

You do not need to transfer to a Connecticut license.

You are in the U.S. on a visitor's visa

You do not need a Connecticut license. With B1/B2, waiver-tourist (WT) or waiver-business (WB) status, you also cannot get a Connecticut credential.

International driver permit: what the DMV pages say

Two DMV pages differ on the international driver permit (IDP). The transfer page allows one year with a valid out-of-country license and an IDP from your country of origin. The license page asks for an IDP only when the license is in a language other than English or Spanish. With an English or Spanish license, ask the DMV whether you need one.
An IDP alone is not a valid license: carry it with your foreign license. Only the country that issued your license can issue the IDP. Under Sec. 14-39, a licensed nonresident age 16 or older may drive for the period that the home country allows Connecticut residents.

Translations for the road test and other documents

To take the road test with an out-of-country license that is not in English, you also need a translation by a DMV-approved translator. The translator can be an approved business or individual, and the translation must show the DMV-approved translator number. Any other document that you give the DMV in a language other than English needs the same type of translation.

Connecticut DMV fees for each path (2026)

Transfer from Canada, Germany or France: $40 application fee and $84 license fee (U.S. dollars).
Adult learner's permit: $19 for the permit and a $40 testing fee that covers the vision, knowledge and road tests, paid online when you schedule the appointment.
License after the road test: $84, separate from the $40 testing fee. Follow the payment instructions of your DMV appointment.
Road test retake after a fail: $40.

Key takeaways

Only a license from Canada, Germany or France transfers to Connecticut, by the same process as an out-of-state license.
A license from any other country does not transfer: you start with an adult learner's permit, and proof of your earlier license removes the 90-day permit wait.
A student or visitor may drive on a foreign license for up to one year, but B1/B2, WT and WB visitors cannot get a Connecticut credential.
A foreign license that is not in English needs a translation by a DMV-approved translator for the road test.
Next step: if you take the permit path, practice on the free Connecticut Class D practice test. It is in English only.

Foreign license in Connecticut: common questions

Can I drive in Connecticut on my foreign license?

Yes, for a limited time. A student or visitor may drive in Connecticut for up to one year with a foreign license. The DMV license page asks for an international driver permit (IDP) when the license is in a language other than English or Spanish. The transfer page asks for an IDP with every out-of-country license, so ask the DMV if you are not sure. Only the country that issued your license can give you an IDP. Get it before you travel.

What documents do F-1 and J-1 students show at the DMV?

F-1 students show their passport and the USCIS document I-20. J-1 holders show their passport and document DS-2019. A dependent spouse or child may have to bring the principal's documents too. All immigration documents must be valid on the day the DMV issues the credential.

Can I use my foreign license as ID at the DMV?

No. Out-of-country licenses are not an accepted form of identification at the Connecticut DMV, so bring other documents from the DMV identification checklist. If you are not a U.S.-born citizen, you also show proof of your legal status, and the DMV verifies it with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

What if my license from home has expired?

The transfer route is for a valid license from Canada, Germany or France. For the adult learner's permit, an expired license still helps: bring it, or a driving history from your previous country, and the 90-day permit wait does not apply. You still take the Work Zone course, the tests and the 8-hour course.

How long does it take to get a Connecticut license?

After a transfer, your Connecticut license arrives in the mail within 20 business days. On the permit path, you normally hold the permit for at least 90 days before you can sign up for the road test. With proof of an earlier license, that wait does not apply: you can sign up once you pass the tests and finish the 8-hour course.