Driving Tests

Foreign Driver's License in Georgia: Can You Drive and How to Switch

informational·how to guide·Published August 30, 2026

Can you drive in Georgia with a foreign driver's license?

Yes, for a visit. A non-US citizen with a valid foreign license may drive in Georgia for tourism or business, and an officer may ask to see your passport or visa. If you become a Georgia resident, you must get a Georgia license within 30 days. A person present in Georgia for 30 or more days counts as a resident.

Where the Georgia foreign license facts come from

The rules for visitors, residents, reciprocity and the foreign license come from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) pages for new Georgia residents who are non-US citizens and for drivers from other nations. The immigration document table comes from the DDS learner's permit page. The test rules, the nonresident rules and the residency rules also come from the DDS test and exam page, the DDS License FAQs, the DDS Class C page and the DDS Drivers Manual. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (dds.georgia.gov) before you drive.

Can you drive in Georgia as a visitor with a foreign license?

Yes. Drivers with a foreign license do not need to apply for a Georgia license unless they become a Georgia resident. Keep your passport or visa with the license when you drive, because an officer may ask for them to check that the license is valid.
The DDS Drivers Manual has the same rule for nonresidents: a nonresident who is at least 16 and has a valid license from the home state or country in hand does not need a Georgia license. Any restriction that applies to a Georgia license by law also applies to you.

Who counts as a Georgia resident, and the 30-day deadline

Deadline. After you become a Georgia resident, you have 30 days to get a Georgia license.
Present for 30 days. You have been present in Georgia for 30 or more days.
Job and school. You take a job or start a trade in Georgia, and you enroll your children in a public or private school within 10 days after the job starts.
Home. You have a permanent home or abode in Georgia.

Which countries can exchange a license with Georgia?

Georgia recognizes licenses from countries that have a reciprocal agreement with DDS. The foreign license must be equal to a Georgia Class C regular license. DDS names two places: South Korea and Taiwan.
A license from any other country does not transfer. You complete the full process for a new Georgia license, with all the tests for the license class that you want.

Which Georgia tests you take with a foreign license

You have a South Korean license and a License Certification Letter from the South Korean Consulate

You do not take the knowledge (written) test or the road test. You must pass a vision exam, and you must show the letter from the consulate.

You have a license from Taiwan

Georgia has reciprocity with Taiwan. Ask DDS which tests and papers apply to you before your visit.

Your country has no reciprocal agreement with DDS

You must pass the Georgia knowledge (written), road and vision tests to get your Georgia license.

What the vision, knowledge and road tests cover

Vision exam. Every applicant takes it, including drivers from South Korea.
Knowledge exam. It has two tests, Road Rules and Road Signs. You need at least 15 out of 20 correct on each. Our free question on the score you need on each section lets you check this rule.
Languages. Both knowledge tests are available in 26 languages. The road test is in English only.
Road test. It is a test of your driving skills.

Do you keep your foreign license?

Bring your foreign license or ID card when you apply. Most foreign licenses and ID cards are returned to you. DDS keeps the foreign license when you apply for a commercial license or permit. U.S. citizens also cannot keep a license, permit or ID card from a foreign country. A dual U.S. and foreign citizen may choose to keep the foreign license, unless he or she applies for a commercial license or permit.
If you also hold a license, ID or permit from another U.S. state or the District of Columbia, you must surrender it. The guide to switching your license when you move to Georgia covers that transfer.

What documents do non-citizens need?

Show valid immigration documents in person at a DDS Customer Service Center to prove your identity and lawful status. Bring the original immigration documents each time you ask for a license or ID card service: 1 document for proof of identity and 1 document for proof of lawful status, if required. DDS issues a license only in a name that exactly matches your original immigration documents. You must also show proof of your residency in Georgia.

Visa documents for a Georgia license: two common examples

Visa documents for a Georgia license: two common examples
First document (identity)	Second document (lawful status)
Unexpired foreign passport with U.S. visa, immigration status A, B, E, H, I, L, O, P, Q, R or S	Valid I-94 or I-797A Notice of Action
Unexpired foreign passport with U.S. visa, immigration status F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, M-1 or M-2	I-20 (F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2) or DS-2019 (J-1, J-2), and a valid I-94 or I-797A Notice of Action

Social Security number or form DDS-351

All applicants must give either a Social Security number or a Certification of Social Security Denial Status. If you are not eligible for a Social Security number, complete form DDS-351. It is available at the Customer Service Centers. If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) gives you permission to work in the United States, you must apply for a Social Security number.

Who gets the one-time 120-day extension

DDS gives a non-citizen a one-time 120-day extension of a Georgia license, permit or ID card. You must meet all of these rules:
You are an existing DDS customer.
Your Georgia card has expired, or it expires within 30 days.
You show an original I-797C Notice of Action as proof that you asked for more time to stay lawfully in the U.S.

Nonresident students with a foreign license

The DDS Drivers Manual has a separate rule for nonresident students. It applies if you are at least 16, you have your home license in hand, and you hold a valid international driving permit when the license is not in English. You must also be enrolled in a school in Georgia, have paid the nonresident tuition, and carry proof of that payment. The guide for international students who drive in Georgia explains this rule.

Key takeaways

A non-US citizen with a valid foreign license may drive in Georgia for tourism or business. Carry your passport or visa, because an officer may ask for it.
After you become a Georgia resident, you have 30 days to get a Georgia license. Being present in Georgia for 30 or more days makes you a resident.
South Korea (with a consulate letter) and Taiwan have reciprocity with Georgia. South Korean drivers still pass a vision exam. Drivers from other countries pass the vision, knowledge and road tests.
Bring original immigration documents, with your name exactly as on them. If you cannot get a Social Security number, complete form DDS-351. Most foreign licenses are returned.
Next step: practice on the free Georgia Class C practice test.

Foreign license in Georgia: common questions

What if I do not have my foreign license with me?

Bring a Motor Vehicle Report or Driving History from the country that issued your license. It must be printed in English and dated within the last 30 days. You must still show your immigration documents and pass the tests that apply to you.

I am a dual U.S. and foreign citizen. Can I keep my foreign license?

Yes, you may choose to keep it, unless you apply for a commercial license or permit. Bring your foreign license when you apply for your Georgia license.

Can I drive in Georgia if I have no lawful status?

No. Georgia law does not let a non-US citizen drive in Georgia without lawful status in the United States. To get a Georgia license, you must also prove lawful status with your immigration documents at a Customer Service Center.

Which license class do I get in Georgia?

Georgia issues a Class C license to drivers 18 and older. It is the class for a regular passenger car. When you use a reciprocal agreement, your foreign license must be equal to a Georgia Class C regular license.