florida Resident and Driving Licence

[Ian Dee]

HAs anyone information on
Florida Residence 'proof'.
US driving License.
As an owner we, with a US Bank Account cheque book with our US address got a resident discount at Disney.
WE were advised to get a Florida Resident card, but they could not expand on it.
At Walmarts, paying with $ cheques (sorry....checks) we had great difficulty producing the UK licence - we were eventually told that the cashier should punch in UK as the state (e.g. FL for Florida ) this was greeted with 'what part of the US is UK a state! When advised that it was in Europe, we were then asked where was that! I gace up and paid cash.
I understand that the US driving test is relatively simple - a written and practical. But know no Brit who has taken it.
Any help? [?]

[chrisj]

A friend has taken the driving test and said it was easy

as for wal mart, I used cheques all the time and was never asked for any id, everywhere we
used them we had no problems either

[Gillian-B]

Silly question, but is a US driving license worthwhile having (or even possible to get) for UK visitors (that don't live there)?

Gillian

[chrisj]

To get one I think you need to be a resident, my mates daughter lives there and they use
her address and have bank accounts etc, mind you they go there about 3 times a year for a
month at a time.

[florida4sun]

Dod you mean travellers checks? It is really unusual to not be asked for id on a personal check. Also walmart have stopped taking checks due to fraud I found this out after I have 12 trolleys full of stuff to pay for...

Martin

quote:Originally posted by chrisj

A friend has taken the driving test and said it was easy

as for wal mart, I used cheques all the time and was never asked for any id, everywhere we
used them we had no problems either

[chrisj]

Martin

I used travellers cheques, never had a problem

[fiona]

If you have the new UK driving licence that may be ok as has picture on.

If you take the driving test it is only valid for the visa time on your passport, so if you enter on the waiver scheme, only valid for 3 months. Plus you have to wait for Talahassee to send you licence. By then you have returned, plus as mail won't deliver to STR address it is returned anyway. Same applies for applying for Florida Residents card (been there, got the postcard).

What about a debit card with your account?

[esprit]

I just took my test. You do have to learn the highway code and traffic law as it is not all the same as in the UK. It took a while, a few hours. You also do an eye test. The driving test is around a car park. You do stopping and obeying traffic signs, reversing, three point turn, emergency stop, parking on a hill and sraight in bay parking. I passed so it cant be that hard but the appointments run weeks ahead and if you go on spec to take both tests on one day, expect to spend up to 7 hours in the test centre queuing up. They also mail your license to you which takes 30 days so unless you have someone to receive it for you, you will be gone home before it arrives. It also only lasts the length of your visa. If you are on visa waiver therefore, it expires when they rip your visa waiver out and you have to renew it when you re-enter. Though I was speaking to some Brits on B2 in the test centre and they said that they only had to do the eye test again and pay again ( $20) to renew and did not have to do the actual test. It was only worth doing for them as they were there 6 months so would actually receive the license.

[florida4sun]

Thats what I thought. The poster is asking about personal checks i.e. bank checks. Travellers checks are treated like cash over here. Personal checks require ID and not every store takes them.

Martin

quote:Originally posted by chrisj

Martin

I used travellers cheques, never had a problem

[florida4sun]

It may be a bit of a opain getting a license or ID. The license is easy but takes the best part of a day if your lucky. The simple answer is to get a debit card. All banks give them out and you do need credit.

martin

quote:Originally posted by ianwhitley

HAs anyone information on
Florida Residence 'proof'.
US driving License.
As an owner we, with a US Bank Account cheque book with our US address got a resident discount at Disney.
WE were advised to get a Florida Resident card, but they could not expand on it.
At Walmarts, paying with $ cheques (sorry....checks) we had great difficulty producing the UK licence - we were eventually told that the cashier should punch in UK as the state (e.g. FL for Florida ) this was greeted with "what part of the US is UK a state! When advised that it was in Europe, we were then asked where was that! I gace up and paid cash.
I understand that the US driving test is relatively simple - a written and practical. But know no Brit who has taken it.
Any help? [?]