# What happens if you're licence expires while your living abroad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685 "2006-10-08T03:43:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/1 "2006-10-08T03:43:13Z")
I just realized that my licence is going to expire in December, and I’m living on the other side of the planet. I won’t be home for, probably, at least eight or nine more months. Is there anything I can do to not have to take my driving test again? (I should mention that I’m American) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/2 "2006-10-08T03:51:38Z")
What state will you be returning to? ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/3 "2006-10-08T04:05:03Z")
South Carolina ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/4 "2006-10-08T04:09:17Z")
They make you take a test every time you need to renew your driver’s license in South Carolina? Move to New York. I renew mine by mail when it’s due; I don’t even need to redo the photo. (And I haven’t looked like that for years!) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/5 "2006-10-08T04:31:41Z")
[QUOTE=gitfiddle] South Carolina [/QUOTE] [South Carolina DMV Online](http://www.scdmvonline.com/DLrenewal.aspx) says you can renew online or by mail. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/6 "2006-10-08T07:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=postcards] They make you take a test every time you need to renew your driver’s license in South Carolina? [/QUOTE] I took **gitfiddle** ’s post to mean that he would have to take the driving test again if the license were allowed to expire for an extended time. I think this is true for many states, including (according to **kat** ’s link) South Carolina > [@](#): > > You are eligible to renew your driver’s license online if you meet the following requirements: (snip) 2. Your driver’s license has not been expired more than nine months. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/7 "2006-10-08T10:40:02Z")
If you can possibly get your license renewed before it expires, do it. If there is a gap, auto insurance companies will treat you as having only been licensed since your new license was issued. This will result in a substantial increase in premiums. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/8 "2006-10-08T12:32:19Z")
Here in Indiana, you can renew your license six months before it expires. Check into it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/9 "2006-10-08T18:14:04Z")
You in the military? Some states make an exception for military personnel. I had six months _after_ I got back to renew. I didn’t see anything one way or the other on the site listed earlier. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/10 "2006-10-08T18:56:05Z")
I am in Colombia, but had my Florida drivers license renewed by Internet. They just send the renewal to my Florida address by mail. It is a sticker that goes on the back of my license. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/11 "2006-10-08T22:12:21Z")
My daughter’s driver’s license expired while she was in school overseas. Yes, she had to take the whole thing over - written, driving, vision. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-licence-expires-while-your-living-abroad/375685/12 "2006-10-08T22:25:30Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] You in the military? Some states make an exception for military personnel. I had six months _after_ I got back to renew. I didn’t see anything one way or the other on the site listed earlier. [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act covers driver’s licenses. If I remember correctly, service members were advised to carry a copy of their orders w/ them when returning from overseas duty to verify their status under the law. So that would mean that all states must recognize any entitlements under the SSRA. This dates back to WWI, although it’s been revised several times. [http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/sscra/a/sscra.htm](http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/sscra/a/sscra.htm)