Texas Foreign Driver License: Reciprocity, Tests and Students
Can I exchange my foreign driver license in Texas?
Yes. With a valid, unexpired license from France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates or Taiwan, Texas may waive the knowledge and skills exams. With a license from any other country, plan for the written knowledge test and a driving skills test, and confirm with DPS. Applicants under 18 from outside the U.S. and Canada must pass the knowledge exam and take the skills exam.
Where these rules come from
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) sets the rules for new residents and reciprocity countries on its moving to Texas page and lists the steps for a first license on its how to apply page. The DPS form DL-53 lists the lawful presence documents for each visa type. The Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7, January 2026), Texas Transportation Code chapter 521, the DPS fee, residency, Social Security and Impact Texas Drivers pages and the DPS what-to-bring checklist (form DL-15) back the other details. This guide is as of 2026. DPS pages give no separate rule for an adult with a license from a country that is not on the reciprocity list. Confirm the rules with the Texas Department of Public Safety (dps.texas.gov) before you drive.
Which countries have reciprocity with Texas?
Texas has license reciprocity with five countries: France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. With a valid, unexpired license from one of them, DPS may waive the knowledge and skills exams. The exams are not required unless you choose to keep your out-of-country license, so expect to take them if you want to keep it. Members of a force or civilian component of a NATO country who show validating orders are also exempt from both exams.
Which exams do you take, by where your license is from?
Does a foreign license need a translation?
Yes, when the license is not in English or Spanish. A translation service or your consulate must translate it before you arrive in Texas. Order the translation while you are still at home, because the deadline is your arrival, not your visit to the driver license office.
What to bring to the driver license office
- An appointment. All driver license office services require one.
- Proof of identity and proof of lawful presence. A non-citizen shows U.S. immigration documents that authorize the stay, and DPS cannot issue the license until DHS verifies the period of lawful presence.
- Two printed proofs of Texas residency with your name and home address. One of them must show that you have lived in Texas for at least 30 days. Texas law also bars a license for a person who has not established a Texas domicile.
- A Social Security number. If you are not eligible for one, you complete the affidavit DL-13 at the driver license office.
- Proof of insurance for each vehicle you own, or a statement that you own none. Texas law also asks a new resident for Texas registration of each owned vehicle, or an affidavit of no vehicle.
- Your previous license and its translation, if needed. The application asks when and by what state or country you were licensed before.
Do you need driver education or the ITD course?
Texas law requires a driver education certificate for applicants younger than 25, and its exemption covers a valid license from another state. DPS requires the six-hour adult course at ages 18 through 24 for a first Texas license and waives it for new residents who surrender a valid, unexpired license from another state. With a license from another country at 18 to 24, ask DPS if the course applies. At 25 or older, no driver education is required. Before a driving skills test, adults complete Impact Texas Adult Drivers (ITAD), a 1-hour video. The guide to adult driver education explains both.
Can an F-1 or J-1 international student get a Texas license?
Yes. DPS lists F-1 and J-1 status in the DL-53 table with the documents to bring, and the student must also meet the domicile and residency rules. An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee may receive a limited term license. It costs $33 and expires with the lawful presence that DHS sets, or in one year when the period is "duration of status".
Student and visitor documents in the DL-53 table
| Status | What DPS lists |
|---|---|
| F-1 (foreign academic student) | An unexpired foreign passport, I-94 or I-20 |
| M-1 (non-academic student) | An unexpired foreign passport, I-94 or I-20 |
| J-1 (exchange visitor: student, trainee, work/travel, au pair and others) | An unexpired foreign passport, I-94 or DS-2019 |
| F-2 (dependent of an F-1 student) | An unexpired foreign passport or I-94 |
| F-3 and M-3 (commuter students from Canada or Mexico) | Not eligible for a Texas license under the domicile and residency rules |
| WB and WT (visa waiver visitors) | May not be able to meet the residency and domicile rules |
Can a visitor drive in Texas on a home license?
The Texas Driver Handbook says a nonresident 18 or older may drive any vehicle in Texas if licensed to drive it in the home state or country, and that state or country gives like recognition (reciprocity) to Texans. A nonresident 16 or older with a valid license from a home state or Canadian province may drive a Class C or Class M vehicle. Ask DPS before a long stay. A new resident 16 or older may drive for no more than 90 days after entering Texas with the license from the previous state or country. The guide to moving to Texas has the full steps.
Key takeaways
- France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan are the five reciprocity countries; with a valid, unexpired license from one of them, the exams may be waived.
- A license not in English or Spanish needs a translation from a translation service or your consulate before you arrive in Texas.
- With a license from any other country, plan for the knowledge and driving skills tests, and confirm with DPS before you book.
- F-1 and J-1 students bring the DL-53 documents (a passport, I-94, I-20 or DS-2019) and may receive a $33 limited term license.
- Next step: practice on the free Texas Class C learner license practice test.
Texas foreign license: common questions
How much is a Texas driver license for someone from another country?
A new Texas driver license costs $33 at ages 18 to 84 and lasts eight years. A limited term license also costs $33; it expires when your period of lawful presence ends, or in one year if that period is "duration of status".
Can I take the Texas knowledge test in Spanish?
Yes. Texas law orders DPS to offer an alternate exam in Spanish in each county for applicants who cannot take it in English. The directions are in Spanish, but the text of highway signs stays in English. Our free practice tests and question pages are in English only.
How long does a Texas license take to arrive?
After the office visit you get a temporary license, and the card typically arrives by mail within 2 to 3 weeks. When DHS cannot verify your lawful presence at once, form DL-15 says the card can take up to 45 days.
What proof of address does an international student need?
Two printed documents with your name and Texas home address, and one must show at least 30 days in Texas. A current Form DS-2019, a document from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or a current Texas college or university transcript can be one of them.
Do I need an appointment and the ITD certificate for the driving test?
Yes. All driver license office services require an appointment. Bring your Impact Texas Drivers certificate to the driving skills test: you cannot take the test without it, and it is valid for 90 days.
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