Driving Tests

Foreign Driver’s License in Maryland: Exchange Countries and Tests

informational·how to guide·Published May 7, 2026

Can I exchange my foreign license in Maryland, or must I take the tests?

Yes. You can exchange a valid or expired foreign license at a Maryland MVA appointment. Without a waiver, you pass a vision screening, a 25-question knowledge test (85 percent to pass under Maryland regulation) and a driving test in a vehicle that you provide. Agreements with South Korea, France, Germany, Taiwan and Japan waive both tests for Class C applicants 18 or older.

Where these Maryland facts come from

The exchange steps, the five agreements and the waiver list come from the MVA page for international movers. The vehicle rule, the test content and the waiver for a Canadian license come from Maryland Transportation Article § 16-110. The test length and the translator rules come from the Maryland Driver’s Manual. Other sources are the MVA translation providers and non-compliant license pages, Transportation Article §§ 16-102, 16-105 and 16-111, and COMAR 11.17.14.11 (the 85 percent pass mark). This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Maryland MVA (mva.maryland.gov) before you drive.

Which countries can skip the Maryland tests?

Which countries can skip the Maryland tests?
License from	Knowledge and driving tests	If the license is expired
South Korea (agreement, 2010)	Waived	All tests needed
France (agreement, 2010)	Waived	Waiver still applies if it expired less than 1 year ago
Germany (agreement, 2011)	Waived	All tests needed
Taiwan (agreement, 2013)	Waived	All tests needed
Japan (agreement, 2016)	Waived	The MVA page gives two rules; ask the MVA before you book
Canada and Yukon Territory	May be waived (MVA list, not an agreement)	Waiver only if it expired no more than 1 year ago
U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana) and the Panama Canal Zone (born there before September 30, 1979)	May be waived	Waiver only if it expired no more than 1 year ago
Any other country	Required	Exchange allowed; take all tests

What do the five agreements cover?

The agreements with South Korea, France, Germany, Taiwan and Japan apply to applicants 18 or older for a non-commercial Class C license. They do not cover learner’s permits, Class M (motorcycle) licenses or commercial licenses. Under an agreement, you still pass a vision screening. You also bring the certificate for the 3 Hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program, and a translation if your license is not in English. For Canada, Yukon and the U.S. territories, the MVA says that tests “may be waived”, so confirm your case with the MVA before your visit.

How to exchange a foreign license in Maryland

1
Use the online document guide
You must bring proof of age, identity and Maryland residency. The MVA online document guide shows which documents it accepts. Some documents may need electronic verification through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to confirm lawful status. For more help, see our guide to Maryland driver’s license documents.
2
Get your vision result
Take the vision screening at the MVA branch office, or bring a completed vision screening form (DL-043A). A screening from a doctor must be from the previous 24 months. To review the vision standard, try our free question on Maryland’s visual acuity standard.
3
Prepare your license and translation
Bring your foreign license. It may be valid or expired. If it is not in English, bring an international driver’s license or an English translation from an MVA-approved translator.
4
Finish the 3-hour program if it applies
You must complete the 3 Hour Roadway Safety Driving Education Program if you have never been licensed in the U.S. The program must be approved by the MVA. Bring the certificate.
5
Book your MVA appointment
Schedule your appointment through myMVA. Bring your license, your documents, the vision result, the certificate and payment for the fees. If you must take the driving test, bring a vehicle of the right type for the license class.

What happens if my foreign license is expired?

You can still exchange an expired out-of-country license. The expiry changes only the waiver. Past the limits in the table, you pass the vision screening, the knowledge test and the driving test. For Japan, the MVA page gives two different rules. One line says that an expired Japanese license needs all tests. Another line allows a Japanese or French license that expired less than 1 year ago. If your Japanese license is expired, call the MVA at 410-768-7000 before you book.

What if my situation is different?

You were licensed for less than 18 months

Maryland issues a provisional license. Under Maryland law, licensed less than 6 months: hold it at least 18 months. Licensed 6 to under 12 months: at least 12 months. Licensed 12 to under 18 months: at least 6 months. The shorter times need no offense in that period. See our guide to the Maryland provisional license rules.

You have never held a license

You cannot use the exchange. You must get a Maryland learner’s permit first.

You have no U.S. immigration documents

You apply for a federally non-compliant license. First, file Maryland income taxes for the 2 years before you apply and get a certification letter from the Comptroller. With a foreign license that is not suspended or revoked, you show it and complete the 3 Hour program before the driving skills test. With no license, you need a learner’s permit and the Maryland Driver Education Program first.

What is on the Maryland tests if I must take them?

The knowledge test checks that you can read and understand traffic signs, and that you know Maryland traffic laws and safe driving practices. You have 20 minutes to finish it. Try our free question on the knowledge test time limit. Our practice questions are free and in English only, and they are not the real MVA test. For the driving test, Maryland law says that you provide a vehicle of the right type for the license class.

Can I just drive in Maryland with my foreign license?

A visitor can, with conditions. Maryland law lets a nonresident of the United States drive with a valid license from the country of residence. The license must cover the class of vehicle, the driver must be old enough for that vehicle in Maryland, and the vehicle cannot be a commercial motor vehicle. If you now live in Maryland and want a Maryland license, use the exchange steps above.

Key takeaways

You can exchange a valid or expired foreign license at a Maryland MVA appointment.
Agreements with South Korea, France, Germany, Taiwan and Japan waive the knowledge and driving tests for Class C applicants 18 or older.
The MVA also lists Canada, Yukon and the U.S. territories for a possible waiver. Applicants from other countries take the vision screening and both tests.
Bring proof of age, identity and Maryland residency, a vision result, the 3-hour program certificate if it applies, and a translation or international driver’s license if your license is not in English.
Next step: practice on the free Maryland Class C practice test.

Foreign license in Maryland: common questions

Who can translate my foreign license for the MVA?

An MVA-approved provider, a court translator or the embassy of the country that issued the license. The translation must show the translator’s printed name, telephone number and signature. Bring the original license with the English translation. If you bring an international driver’s license with your foreign license, the license needs no translation.

Do I have to give up my German or French license?

Yes, if you use the agreement. Maryland keeps a German or French license when it issues your Maryland license. The MVA sends it to its headquarters, and from there it goes back to the country that issued it. To keep your license, opt out of the agreement and take all the tests.

What if I lost my foreign license?

You can still apply. Instead of the license, bring a driving record from the license issuing authority of your country. The record must come with an apostille or with a letter from your country’s embassy that verifies the driving record.

Can an online vision provider send my vision result to the MVA?

Yes, under an agreement. You can pass the screening at the MVA, bring a completed form DL-043 or DL-043A, or have an authorized online vision certification provider send the result to the MVA electronically. A result from a vision provider must be from the previous 12 months.