Driving Tests

Delaware Foreign License Rules: Visitors, New Residents, Reciprocity

informational·how to guide·Published September 12, 2026

Can I drive in Delaware with my foreign license?

Yes. A nonresident over 16 may drive with a valid license from the home state or country, with no Delaware exam or license. A new resident from another country must apply for a Delaware license within 60 days and pass the eye, knowledge and road exams. The Delaware Driver Manual (July 2026) exempts drivers from Germany, Taiwan, France and U.S. territories from the knowledge and road exams, for Class D only. The Class D fee is $50.

Where these rules come from

The visitor rule comes from Delaware law, Title 21, section 2706. Other sections of Title 21 give the 60-day rule, the testing rules, the fee and the permit rules. The reciprocity list, the status rules, the in-person rule and the exchange student steps come from the Delaware Driver Manual of July 2026. The 2026 fee and the military rule come from the DMV guide for new residents. Where the law and the Manual differ, this guide follows the law. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Delaware DMV (dmv.de.gov) before you drive.

Which Delaware rule fits you

Which Delaware rule fits you
Your situation	What Delaware says
Visitor over 16 with a valid home license	You may drive without a Delaware exam or license. Carry the license.
New resident with a foreign license	Apply for a Delaware license within 60 days. Pass the eye, knowledge and road exams. You may keep the foreign license.
Driver from Germany, Taiwan, France or a U.S. territory	No knowledge or road exam for a Class D license (Driver Manual, July 2026).
Temporary foreign national	The license lasts only as long as your authorized stay in the United States.
Exchange student under 18	Finish an approved driver education program, then apply for a Level 1 Learner's Permit.

Visiting Delaware: the nonresident rule

Delaware law lets a nonresident over 16 drive without an exam or a Delaware license. Your license must be valid, come from a home state or country that licenses drivers, and be in your immediate possession.
If your home place does not license drivers and you have no license, you must get a Delaware license first. One exception: an owner over 16 may drive their own vehicle, registered at home for the current year, for up to 30 days in any 1 year. The vehicle needs its home plates, and you need the home registration card. A free question lets you practice what to show an officer at a stop.

Moving to Delaware: the 60-day rule

You must apply for and get the proper Delaware license within 60 days after you take up residence in Delaware. You must apply in person at a DMV office in Delaware City, Dover, Georgetown or Wilmington. Members of the military and their dependents do not need a Delaware license until 60 days after separation from the service.
If you move from another U.S. state instead of another country, the 60-day license transfer guide covers that case.

Do I have to take the Delaware tests?

You are a new resident with a license from another country

You must pass the eye, knowledge and road exams for a Delaware license. You may keep your foreign license.

You hold a license from Germany, Taiwan (Republic of China), France or a U.S. territory

According to the Delaware Driver Manual (July 2026), you are exempt from the knowledge and road exams for a Class D license only.

You are 18 or older and have a valid license from another U.S. state

The DMV may, in its discretion, issue the license without an exam.

You are under 18 and transfer a license from another U.S. state

The DMV must give you a written and road test.

Reciprocity: Germany, Taiwan and France

Delaware has a reciprocity agreement with Germany, Taiwan (Republic of China) and France, according to the July 2026 Driver Manual. A driver from one of these places gets a Class D license without the knowledge and road exams. The July 2026 Manual also gives this exception to drivers from U.S. territories. The agreement does not cover endorsements.
All other drivers with a foreign license take the full examination. The free question on the four parts of the Delaware examination shows what it checks.

Class D fee and how long the license lasts

The Class D license fee is $50 in Delaware law, in the 2026 DMV guide and in the July 2026 Driver Manual. Older copies of the Manual name $40, which is the old fee. A Class D license is valid for 8 years, and a permanent resident foreign national may get the full 8-year license. A license for a temporary foreign national lasts only as long as that person is authorized to be in the United States.

Immigration documents and status rules for a Delaware license

The DMV checks your legal status and authorized stay through the federal SAVE system. Bring immigration documents with an Alien Registration Number or an I-94 Number.
F-1/F-2 and M-1 students bring an I-20 with the unexpired foreign passport and the I-94 card. J-1/J-2 holders bring a valid DS-2019 or IAP-66.
A document in another language may also need a certified English translation.
B-1 and B-2 visitors and the visa waiver statuses WB and WT are not eligible for a Delaware-issued license or ID card, even after they establish residency. They may be eligible to apply for a driving privilege card: see the driving privilege card steps.

Exchange students: steps to a Level 1 Learner's Permit

1
Finish driver education
After an approved driver education program, an exchange student may apply for a Level 1 Learner's Permit. This permit is for people at least 16 but under 18. A driver education course from a high school outside Delaware needs a certified copy of the high school transcript.
2
Get the parent statement
You need a typed, notarized statement from a parent that gives permission to apply for and be issued the permit.
3
Ask the host family to sign
If you are under 18, the sponsoring family must sign the application and take on liability for you as a minor driver.
4
Collect the documents
Bring a certified birth certificate in English, a legal presence document and the driver education training certificate if you are under 18. Add a Social Security number if you are eligible.
5
Confirm the fee
The Class D fee is $50 under the law and the 2026 guide, and the July 2026 Manual now charges $50 for the exchange student license. The teen permit section of the law still names $40. Confirm the amount with the DMV before you pay.

Key takeaways

A nonresident over 16 with a valid home license in immediate possession may drive in Delaware without a Delaware exam or license.
A new resident must apply for a Delaware license within 60 days. A first offense is a fine of $25 to $100.
Drivers from other countries must pass the eye, knowledge and road exams. The Manual (July 2026) exempts drivers from Germany, Taiwan, France and U.S. territories, for Class D only.
The Class D fee is $50. The license lasts 8 years, or only for the authorized stay of a temporary foreign national.
Exchange students need driver education, a notarized parent statement and a signature from the sponsoring family.
Next step: practice on the free Delaware Class D practice test.

Delaware foreign license: common questions

Can a tourist get a Delaware driver license?

No. The Delaware Driver Manual says the DMV cannot issue a license to a person who is not a bona fide Delaware resident. B-1 and B-2 visitors and the visa waiver statuses WB and WT are also not eligible. A tourist over 16 does not need one: a valid home license in your possession lets you drive in Delaware.

Do I have to give up my foreign license to get a Delaware license?

No. Drivers from other countries may keep their foreign licenses. This is different from a license from another U.S. state, which you must surrender when you apply. You still must apply within 60 days after you become a Delaware resident and pass the eye, knowledge and road exams, unless the reciprocity exception applies to you.

What happens if I drive on my foreign license after the 60 days?

A first offense carries a fine of at least $25 and at most $100. Each later offense carries a fine of $50 to $200, or 10 to 30 days in prison, or both. The 60 days start on the day you take up residence in Delaware. Apply in person before that time ends.

How long is a Delaware license valid on a student visa?

Your license lasts only as long as your authorized stay in the United States. If your immigration records show "indefinite" or "duration of status" as the authorized stay, the DMV uses a one-year expiration date. When you renew, bring your original immigration documents again.

Who can get a Delaware driving privilege card instead of a license?

The driving privilege card is only for foreign Delaware residents who cannot show legal presence in the United States and who meet the other eligibility rules. A person with valid legal presence documents cannot get one. The card costs $20, lasts 4 years and is for driving in Delaware only, not for identification.