Driving Tests

Transfer a Foreign Driver's License to Nevada: Tests, Canada, Taiwan

informational·how to guide·Published May 16, 2026

Can I exchange my foreign driver's license in Nevada, or must I take the tests?

You apply for a Nevada license and surrender your old card. With a license from any foreign country other than Canada, you take the vision, knowledge and drive tests at the Nevada DMV. A Canadian license counts like a U.S. license: at 21 or older with a clean record, you take only the vision test. Taiwan nationals 21 or older who qualify can skip the drive test.

Where the Nevada foreign license rules come from

The test rules come from the Nevada DMV page on first-time licenses and tests and the adult license page, which has the Taiwan list. The surrender, non-resident and oral exam rules come from the Nevada Driver's Handbook (DMV 700, March 2024). The identity, translator, written test, DAC and fee rules come from the DMV New Resident Guide and the DMV pages on proof of identity, translators, the written test, the Driver Authorization Card and fees. This guide is current as of 2026, and the DMV can change these lists. Confirm the rules with the Nevada DMV (dmv.nv.gov) before you drive.

Which tests do you take for a Nevada license?

Which tests do you take for a Nevada license?
Your current license	Tests at the Nevada DMV
U.S., U.S. territory or Canada, age 21 or older	Vision test only, if your record has none of the problems listed below
U.S., U.S. territory or Canada, under 21	Vision test and knowledge test
Any other foreign country	Vision test, knowledge test and drive (skills) test
Taiwan, 21 or older, with the papers listed below	Vision test and knowledge test. The drive test is waived.

Canadian license holders: when you take more tests

Nevada treats a Canadian license like a U.S. license. At 21 or older, you take only the vision test unless your record has a problem. You also take the knowledge test if, in the last four years, you had three or more moving violations or any suspension, revocation, cancellation or other disqualification, or if you had a DUI conviction in the past seven years. License restrictions that need a new check of your driving skills add the knowledge and drive tests. The DMV checks all driver records through the national Problem Driver Pointer System.

You must surrender your foreign license

A Nevada resident may hold only one driver's license or ID card. When you get a Nevada license, you surrender the card from the other country. The DMV voids it and returns it to you, so it no longer works as a backup license. Try the free practice question on surrendering another license to check the rule.

Taiwan license reciprocity: how to skip the drive test

1
Check that you qualify
You must be 21 or older and hold a valid Class B Taiwan driver's license.
2
Get the Verification Certificate
Ask a Taiwan Consulate Office for a Verification Certificate of Driver's License. If it is not in English, the consulate or a DMV-approved translator must translate it.
3
Complete form DMV 015
This is the Drive Test Waiver for Taiwan Nationals.
4
Bring identity and residency proof
You still show proof of identity and proof of Nevada residency.
5
Pass the vision and knowledge tests
The waiver covers only the drive test. You still pass the vision test and the knowledge test at the DMV.

Your foreign license is not proof of identity

A foreign driver's license or ID card is on the DMV list of documents not accepted as proof of identity for a standard license or a Real ID. Many of those documents are acceptable for a Driver Authorization Card (DAC). The type of card you can get depends on your immigration status, so contact the DMV with your status code from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before you go. Nevada does not issue licenses or ID cards to tourists. Our guide to Nevada DMV documents and Real ID lists what to bring.

Which Nevada card fits your situation?

You have U.S. immigration documents that qualify you for a standard card

You can get a standard license or a Real ID. With limited-term immigration documents, it expires on the departure date that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) verifies, or after one year if DHS gives no date. Students may also need an I-20, and exchange visitors a DS-2019.

You do not qualify for a standard license

You may be eligible for a DAC. It lets you drive legally, needs no Social Security number and is valid for four years. It costs $22.50, plus the $25 testing fee when tests are required. The card states "Not Valid for ID" and is not accepted for boarding an aircraft. If this is your first application for a DAC or any license in the United States, you take the knowledge and drive tests. See how the Nevada DAC works.

You are a tourist, an out-of-state student or a seasonal resident

You do not need a Nevada license. To drive, you must be 16 or older, have a valid license from your home state and follow Nevada traffic and financial responsibility laws.

How to get documents translated for the Nevada DMV

The DMV needs a typed or electronically printed translation of each document that is not in English, from a translator on the DMV-approved list. The translation must cover the entire document. A document without a valid DMV translator number is rejected at the office. There is no standard price, so compare translators. The DMV is not taking new translator applications now, so choose from the current list.

Nevada knowledge test: format, fees and retakes

25 multiple-choice questions. You need 20 correct answers (80 percent) to pass.
A $25 fee covers the first knowledge and drive tests. You pay it before the written test.
Each retest costs $10. If you fail the knowledge test, you can retake it the next day.
Your written test results are valid for 1 year.
At a DMV office, written testing closes 30 minutes to 1 hour before the office closes.
Our free practice questions are in English only. Start with what the Nevada knowledge test covers.

Test languages and interpreters in Nevada

Online, the knowledge test is in English and Spanish. At a DMV office, it is in English, Spanish and audio. If you have problems reading or understanding the written test, you may ask for an oral exam. If you lack English or Spanish language skills, you may use an interpreter on the written test for a non-commercial license, DAC or instruction permit. The interpreter cannot be a family member and must bring a letter of approval from a government agency, court, school or non-profit advocacy group. You pay any interpreter fee. No interpreter is allowed at any drive test.

Key takeaways

Apply for a Nevada license and surrender your foreign card: a Nevada resident may hold only one license.
A license from any foreign country except Canada means the vision, knowledge and drive tests.
A Canadian license counts like a U.S. license: at 21 or older with a clean record, only the vision test. Under 21 adds the knowledge test.
Taiwan nationals 21 or older with a Class B license, a consulate certificate and form DMV 015 skip only the drive test.
Next step: practice on the free Nevada Class C instruction permit practice test.

Foreign license in Nevada: common questions

Does Taiwan's waiver skip the written test too?

No. The Taiwan waiver covers only the drive test. You still pass the vision test and the knowledge test, which has 25 questions and needs 20 correct answers. You also bring proof of identity and proof of Nevada residency. Ask the Taiwan Consulate Office for the Verification Certificate early, because a certificate that is not in English must be translated.

What if I lost my Canadian license before I apply in Nevada?

You take the vision test and the knowledge test, even at 21 or older. The DMV adds the knowledge test when a driver with a current U.S., U.S. territory or Canadian license has misplaced the actual card. Bring your other papers as usual, including proof of identity and two proofs of your Nevada address, such as a utility bill or a lease.

What if I do not qualify for the Taiwan drive test waiver?

Then you take the same tests as other drivers with a license from a country other than Canada: the vision test, the knowledge test and the drive test. The waiver is only for Taiwan nationals who are 21 or older and hold a valid Class B Taiwan driver's license. They also need a Verification Certificate of Driver's License from a Taiwan Consulate Office and form DMV 015.

Does a U.S. territory license count as a foreign license in Nevada?

No. The Nevada DMV puts a current license from a U.S. territory in the same group as a U.S. or Canadian license. At 21 or older, you take only the vision test if your record has none of the listed problems, such as a DUI conviction in the past seven years. Under 21, you take the vision and knowledge tests.