# Taking a driving test without a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120 "2005-07-25T22:15:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/1 "2005-07-25T22:15:06Z")
Actually I do have a car, but I carelessly let my international driver’s license expire and can’t legally drive to the DMV for the driving test. :smack: :smack: Is there _any_ way for me to take the test, besides begging someone to give me a ride there? There’s nobody I could ask who is free during the day on weekdays. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/2 "2005-07-25T23:21:20Z")
Well… I’d be breaking the SDMB rules by just suggesting you drive there anyway, and saying that your ride is somewhere else in the mini-mall shopping while you take your driving test. In the meantime, though, are Alabama DMV’s or SecStates or whatever located in convenient places like mini-malls? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/3 "2005-07-26T01:44:28Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Actually I do have a car, but I carelessly let my international driver’s license expire and can’t legally drive to the DMV for the driving test. :smack: :smack: Is there _any_ way for me to take the test, besides begging someone to give me a ride there? There’s nobody I could ask who is free during the day on weekdays. WAG - Take a cab! OOPS no car to take test in. Hire a cabbie to chauffeur you there and back. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/4 "2005-07-26T02:25:15Z")
How about this: [ul] [li]A friend drives the car near the test beforehand when they have time (say, Sunday).[/li][li]They take a cab/bus home.[/li][li]You take a cab/bus to the DMV on Monday.[/li][li]Take the geese out, put the fox in.[/li][li]Take the test in the car[/li][li]Drive the car home (assuming a cheerful outcome, obviously)[/li][/ul] Taa daa! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/5 "2005-07-26T03:14:31Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > How about this: > [ul] > [li]A friend drives the car near the test beforehand when they have time (say, Sunday).[/li][li]They take a cab/bus home.[/li][li]You take a cab/bus to the DMV on Monday.[/li][li]Take the geese out, put the fox in.[/li][li]Take the test in the car[/li][li]Drive the car home (assuming a cheerful outcome, obviously)[/li][/ul] > Taa daa! What about Opal? Don’t forget about Opal. Here let me fix that list for you 3. Hi Opal ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/6 "2005-07-26T03:18:59Z")
I have actually been in this position twice. I drive a company car that does not have standard license plates on it. Working for a car company my company car has distributor plate on it. Bottom line is the DMV does not recognise these plates as being valid for a driving test. So my my offspring got to driving age, I could not take them for their driving test in the car that they had been driving (with me) for the previous 6 months. :smack: The answer is easy, but not super cheap. contact a local driving school, and make arrangements to use on of their cars. It cost me about $50 each time. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/7 "2005-07-26T05:10:04Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > The answer is easy, but not super cheap. contact a local driving school, and make arrangements to use on of their cars. It cost me about $50 each time. Thanks. This being America, I knew there must be a way to pay someone to do it! 😃 I’ll call around tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-driving-test-without-a-car/314120/8 "2005-07-26T05:23:20Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Actually I do have a car, but I carelessly let my international driver’s license expire and can’t legally drive to the DMV for the driving test. :smack: :smack: Is there _any_ way for me to take the test, besides begging someone to give me a ride there? There’s nobody I could ask who is free during the day on weekdays. Just drive there. It’s only illegal if you get caught. I mean, think about it: how many people actually walked, rode the bus, got a ride from a friend, whatever when their registration or license expires? They know you’re breaking the law, but they also know that the act of going to the DMV shows that you intend to comply with the law and something stopped you before, so it’s all good. Even the cops will usually just give you a confirmation card that has to be signed and mailed to them to prove that you got it done if you tell them you’re on your way to the DMV. Don’t make it any harder than you have to.