How to Transfer to an Indiana Driver's License
by Fraser Sherman
When you become an Indiana resident, you have 60 days to exchange your out-of-state driver's license for the Hoosier version. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles says you're a state resident if you have a legal Indiana address and don't claim residence in another state. You also qualify if you're registered to vote in Indiana. College students and active-duty military stationed in the state do not count as state residents or need a state-issued driver's license.
Over 18
If you've already turned 18, transferring your license requires a visit to your local BMV office with the necessary paperwork: •Your current out-of-state license. •A copy of your official driving record or a verification letter. •Documents proving your identity. To apply for an Indiana license you'll have to take both a written test and an eye test. If you have an expired license older than three years, you must pass a driving test as well.
Under 18
If you're between 16.5 and 18 years old and you've had an out-of-state license for at least 180 days, the process is the same as for older drivers. If you haven't had your license that long, you'll have to take the driving test and apply for a learner's permit. After you reach the 180-day benchmark, you can return and reapply for an Indiana license. The BMV says the license is probationary until you turn 18.
Identifying Yourself
To get a license you'll need certain documentation: •One document proving your identity. •Two documents confirming your Indiana address. •One document showing your Social Security number. •One document proving your legal status as a U.S. resident. The BMV recommends you start collecting your documents early. If you want to use a birth certificate, for instance, you need the original or a certified copy, which might take time to collect. In some cases the document you use to confirm your identity will also have your Social Security number on it, reducing the total number of papers needed.
Foreign Drivers
If your license is from another country, you can use it in the United States for up to a year. You don't have to surrender it to receive an Indiana license. The BMV says if you do apply for an Indiana license, you will need to take the driving test. Once you pass all the tests, you get an interim license good for 30 days while the BMV verifies your documents.
References
Writer Bio
A graduate of Oberlin College, Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981. Since then he's researched and written newspaper and magazine stories on city government, court cases, business, real estate and finance, the uses of new technologies and film history. Sherman has worked for more than a decade as a newspaper reporter, and his magazine articles have been published in "Newsweek," "Air & Space," "Backpacker" and "Boys' Life." Sherman is also the author of three film reference books, with a fourth currently under way.
