Driving Tests

Can International Students Drive in Oregon on a Foreign License?

informational·how to guide·Published September 19, 2026

Can international students drive in Oregon on a foreign license?

Yes, as visitors. Oregon DMV counts a student who attends school in Oregon and pays non-resident tuition as a visitor, and a visitor may legally drive with a valid license from another country. Carry the license each time you drive. If you become an Oregon resident, DMV says to get an Oregon license within 30 days to keep driving.

Where the Oregon student driving rules come from

The visitor and new-resident rules come from the Oregon DMV new to Oregon page. The residency rules are in ORS 807.062, and the visitor exemption is in ORS 807.020. Test, fee and document details come from the Oregon DMV driver license page, the DMV residency, identity document, REAL ID and fee pages, OAR 735-062-0030 and the 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Oregon DMV (oregon.gov/odot/dmv) before you drive.

Driving on your home license as a visitor

Oregon law lets a person who is not an Oregon resident drive without an Oregon license if the person holds a current license from outside Oregon. You must have that license with you while you drive.

The exemption has limits. It does not cover a person under the minimum driving age, a person whose driving privileges are suspended or revoked, or driving that your home license does not allow.

When an international student becomes an Oregon resident

You pay non-resident tuition and you have a job in Oregon

A job alone does not make you a resident if you take no other step to become one. Oregon law names a student who pays non-resident tuition at a publicly funded school as an example.

You stay in Oregon for six months or more in a row

Oregon law lists this as an action that makes you a resident, wherever your permanent home (domicile) is. The DMV residency page also asks if you stay in Oregon at least six months each year.

You declare that you are an Oregon resident to pay resident tuition at a public school

Oregon law lists this declaration as an action that makes you a resident.

You are an Oregon resident and want to drive

You need an Oregon license or permit. Your home license covers only your first 30 days as a resident.

How to get an Oregon driver license as an international student

1
Confirm that you qualify
An Oregon license is only for a person who is an Oregon resident or has a domicile in Oregon. The conditions above show when residence starts.
2
Gather proof of identity and your SSN
A foreign passport in English, or with an English translation, that expired no more than five years ago is primary proof of identity for a standard license (not REAL ID). If a Social Security number (SSN) was assigned to you, give it. DMV can change the documents it accepts without notice.
3
Bring proof of your address
For a standard license, bring one document with your name and current Oregon address. Since August 13, 2026, this can be any document delivered to your address by USPS or another delivery service, or Form DS2019 (for J-1 exchange visitors).
4
Pass the vision test and the knowledge test
Every applicant takes a vision test. The knowledge test costs $7 each time, and your home license decides if you must take it (see the table below).
5
Book and pass the drive test
Drive tests are by appointment only, and you must pass the knowledge test first. Test with DMV for $45, or with a Class C testing business, which sets its own price.
6
Turn in your old license and pay the fee
You must turn in any license from another state or country. The original Class C license fee is $64 as of 2026, and a REAL ID costs $30 more.

Which Oregon tests apply to your home license

Which Oregon tests apply to your home license
Your current license	What DMV says
Issued by a U.S. state or territory, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of State, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea or Taiwan, and not expired more than 1 year	A new Oregon resident who surrenders this license may not have to take the knowledge test or the drive test.
Issued by any other country	The knowledge test is required. The DMV drive test waiver for a surrendered license names only the places in the first row.

Home license from another country: what to check first

A license from a listed place that has been expired for more than 1 year also needs the knowledge test. DMV can change its country list, so confirm your country with DMV before you book a test. The full rules for a license from abroad are in the guide to Oregon foreign driver license rules.

Documents and REAL ID for international students

For a REAL ID, a person who is not a U.S. citizen needs an unexpired foreign passport, an unexpired U.S. visa and the approved I-94 for the latest entry. The DMV REAL ID page also accepts an I-797A in place of the I-94.
A first REAL ID needs two printed proofs of address, each from a different agency, business or institution.
The guide to Oregon DMV documents and REAL ID has the full document lists.

The Oregon knowledge test for students

The knowledge test has 35 multiple-choice questions, and you need 28 correct to pass, according to the 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual. You can read and hear it in eight languages, online and in a DMV office: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese. The online test needs an SSN to register. If you have none, you test in a DMV office.

Our free practice test is in English only. Its practice question on which tests a first-time applicant takes helps you check the test rules.

Drive test: car, insurance and rental cars

Bring a passenger vehicle with current registration and valid proof of insurance. See the practice question on proof of insurance for the drive test. If you rent a car and your name is on the rental agreement, insurance may come through the rental agency, or you can get your own policy for the car. If your name is not on it, you need a letter from the rental agency that says it extends coverage to you.

If you fail the drive test, you must wait until the next business day to test again.

Key takeaways

A student who pays non-resident tuition is a visitor and may drive in Oregon on a valid license from another country. Keep the license with you.
A job alone does not make such a student a resident. Six months in Oregon in a row or a declaration of residency for resident tuition does. A new resident may drive on a home license for 30 days.
For a standard Oregon license, bring a foreign passport (English or translated), your SSN if you have one and one proof of address. You turn in your home license.
A license from Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or a U.S. jurisdiction may skip both tests. A license from any other country needs the knowledge test.
Next step: practice on the free Oregon Class C passenger permit practice test before you take the knowledge test.

Oregon student driving: common questions

Can I get an Oregon driver license on a student visa?

An Oregon license is only for a person who is an Oregon resident or has a domicile in Oregon. You show proof of identity and address and pass the tests that apply to your home license. A foreign passport in English or with an English translation is proof of identity for a standard license. For a REAL ID, the passport must not be expired, and you also need an unexpired U.S. visa and an I-94 or I-797A. Call Oregon DMV at 503-945-5000 about your own case.

Can I get an Oregon driver license without a Social Security number?

Yes, for a standard license. You give a verifiable SSN only if one was assigned to you. If not, you certify electronically that you do not have one. A REAL ID is different: you need a verifiable SSN, or proof that you are not eligible for one.

How long is an Oregon REAL ID valid for an international student?

A person who lives in the U.S. for a limited time gets a limited term REAL ID license. It expires on the same date as your authorized stay, or in 1 year if your stay is indefinite. You cannot renew a limited term license online. To renew in person, show proof that your stay is still in effect or was extended.

Can I use school documents as proof of address at the Oregon DMV?

Yes. Since August 13, 2026, DMV accepts transcript forms or other school documents that show your enrollment for the current school year. The document must show your first name, last name and residence address. For a first REAL ID, bring a second proof from a different institution.

Can I drive in Oregon if my home country license has expired?

No. Oregon law lets a person who is not a resident drive without an Oregon license only if the person holds a current license from outside Oregon and carries it while driving. An expired home license does not meet that rule. An Oregon license is only for a person who is an Oregon resident or has a domicile in Oregon, so call DMV at 503-945-5000 about your case.