Driving Tests

Driving in Vermont With a Foreign License: IDP, One-Year Limit

informational·how to guide·Published August 7, 2026

Can you drive in Vermont with a foreign license?

Yes, for up to one year. Vermont law lets a nonresident 18 or older drive on a valid foreign license while lawfully present, if the driver has been in the United States not more than one year and has an international driving permit (IDP). If you move to Vermont, get a Vermont license within 60 days. Taiwan license holders may exchange their license, and the tests may be waived.

Where these rules come from

These rules are as of 2026. This guide uses 23 V.S.A. § 601, the Vermont DMV page on foreign licenses and the DMV page on Taiwan reciprocity. It also uses 23 V.S.A. §§ 208 and 603, the DMV pages on new licenses, learner's permits and junior licenses, and the Vermont Driver's Manual. Confirm the rules with the Vermont DMV (dmv.vermont.gov) before you drive.

Who can drive on a foreign license in Vermont

Under 23 V.S.A. § 601, a nonresident with a valid license from outside the United States may drive in Vermont only if four conditions apply. You are at least 18, lawfully present in the United States, in the United States for not more than one year, and you possess an international driving permit.

A valid license or permit from another U.S. jurisdiction also lets a nonresident drive here. If you move to Vermont, see how the out-of-state transfer works.

A visitor from a country on the DMV convention list may drive up to one year from arrival, only in the vehicle type the license covers, with a valid IDP.

International driving permit (IDP): what it is and where to get it

An IDP translates the details of your home license into ten major languages, English among them.
Certain automobile associations issue IDPs for a fee, but only in the country that issued your license. You cannot get one in Vermont, so get it before you travel.
An IDP is not a license. It gives no driving privileges by itself and is valid only together with your valid foreign license.
Vermont does not accept a document called an "International Driver License" unless the licensing agency of your country issued it and you hold a valid license.

Which rule fits your situation

Which rule fits your situation
Your situation	What applies
Visitor with a foreign license, 18 or older	Drive up to one year with your valid license and an IDP, while you are lawfully present.
Nonresident with a license from another U.S. state	Drive on that license or permit.
You move to Vermont	Get a Vermont license within 60 days after the move.
Taiwan license, 18 or older, Vermont resident	Exchange it at a DMV office. The knowledge and skills tests may be waived.
Visitor who wants a Vermont license	Show an authorized stay with at least 30 days left. The card reads "limited term".
Foreign exchange student under 18	Use form VL-036, signed by a parent or legal guardian, for a permit or license.

When the one-year limit ends or you move to Vermont

You have been in the United States for more than one year

Your foreign license no longer meets the conditions of the law for driving in Vermont. A visiting foreign citizen with at least 30 days of authorized stay left can apply for a Vermont license, so apply before the year ends.

You become a Vermont resident

Get a Vermont license within 60 days after moving to Vermont. Try the free new resident deadline question to test the rule.

You drive without meeting these rules

A person may not drive unless properly licensed. A first violation is a traffic violation. After a conviction within the prior two years, a new violation can bring up to 60 days in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both.

The Taiwan license exchange

Vermont has a reciprocal licensing agreement with Taiwan. A Taiwan driver who applies for a Vermont Class D driver's license may have the knowledge and skills tests waived.
You must be at least 18 and hold a Taiwan driver's license that has not expired.
Go to a Vermont DMV office with proof of name and date of birth, lawful status in the United States, identity and Vermont residency. Bring your Social Security number if you have one or can get one.
Also bring your Taiwan license and a notarized translation of the license issued by Taiwan's Directorate General of Highways.
At the office, pass a basic vision exam, complete the application and pay the license fee.
A Temporary Driving Receipt then serves as your valid Vermont license until the card arrives by mail, in about ten days.

Vermont permits and licenses for visiting and exchange students

To apply for a Vermont license or permit, you need proof that you are a Vermont resident or a visiting citizen of a foreign country with at least 30 days of authorized stay left. A foreign citizen also shows a passport and visa, a green card or other proof of legal presence. The Vermont document checklist explains what counts.

A foreign exchange student under 18 uses the Foreign Exchange Parental Authorization Form (VL-036), signed by a parent or legal guardian. It lets the host parent sign all documents for the learner's permit or license. Before a junior operator's license, get the form in advance: the host parent cannot sign it.

What a "limited term" Vermont license means

If you have temporary lawful status, your Vermont license will read "limited term". By law, a license or permit issued to a foreign citizen expires at the end of the authorized stay, so the expiration date matches the end of your legal status. If your lawful stay has no set end date, you may choose a 2-year or 4-year card. A limited term card has the same privileges as a regular card; only its term is shorter.

Key takeaways

A nonresident may drive in Vermont on a valid foreign license if 18 or older, lawfully present, in the U.S. not more than one year and holding an IDP.
Carry the IDP with your license, even if the license is in English. An IDP alone is not a license.
A new Vermont resident must get a Vermont license within 60 days after moving.
Taiwan license holders 18 or older may exchange their license, and the knowledge and skills tests may be waived.
Next step: practice on the free Vermont operator license permit practice test.

Foreign license in Vermont: common questions

Do I need an IDP if my license is already in English?

Yes. Vermont law requires every nonresident who drives on a license from outside the United States to possess an international driving permit, and it makes no exception for English. One DMV page mentions the IDP only for licenses in other languages, but the law wins. Carry the IDP with your valid license.

Can I drive my own car from my home country in Vermont?

Yes, if you are a visitor from a country on the convention list of the DMV foreign license page. Your private passenger car must show valid license plates from your country, and you may drive it for up to one year from the date of arrival. If you drive it more than 30 days, it must meet Vermont insurance standards.

Do I need a Social Security number to get a Vermont license as a foreign national?

Not always. A temporary foreign national who is not authorized to work brings documents from the Social Security Administration that show there is no SSN, and the DMV checks the USCIS number. If you have an SSN, the DMV checks your name, date of birth and SSN electronically with the Social Security Administration.

Can I swap my foreign license for a Vermont license without tests?

With a Taiwan license, you may. Vermont has a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan: if you are 18 or older, live in Vermont and hold an unexpired Taiwan license, the knowledge and skills tests may be waived. You still pass a vision exam. With a license from another country, contact the Vermont DMV before you apply to learn what applies.