SB 1360: Driver’s license: driving test: foreign nationals.

Existing law prohibits a person from having in his or her possession or otherwise under his or her control more than one drivers license. Existing law prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles from issuing a drivers license, or renewing a drivers license, of a person who holds a valid drivers license issued by a foreign jurisdiction unless the license has been surrendered to the department, or is lost or destroyed. Except as specified, existing law requires the department to require an applicant for an original drivers license to submit satisfactory proof of California residency and that the applicants presence in the United States is authorized under federal law.

Existing law requires the department, upon application for an original drivers license, except a student license, to require an examination of the applicant. Existing law requires the examination to test, among other things, the applicants knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Vehicle Code governing the operation of vehicles upon the highways, an actual demonstration of the applicants ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by driving it under the supervision of an examining officer, and a test of the hearing and eyesight of the applicant, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to waive the driving test part of the examination for an applicant who submits a license issued by another state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico if the department verifies through any acknowledged national driver record data source that there are no stops, holds, or other impediments to its issuance.

This bill would authorize the department, to the extent not prohibited by federal law or treaties, for purposes of the issuance of a specified noncommercial drivers license, to extend the waiver of the driving test part of the examination to an applicant who submits a drivers license issued by the Republic of Korea if the department verifies through the applicants driving record that there are no stops, holds, or other impediments to its issuance. a foreign nation if, among other requirements, the foreign nation has a driving examination that is substantially similar to the examination required by the department and the foreign nation offers the same reciprocal privilege to a person holding a license issued by this state.

Under the bill, the applicant would qualify for the exemption only if specified conditions are met, including, among others, that the applicant is 18 years of age or older, he or she has submitted satisfactory proof of California residency, his or her presence in the United States is authorized under federal law, and he or she has submitted a notarized copy of the English translation of the drivers license and of the driving record specified documents issued by the Republic of Korea, as specified. foreign nation, and there are no stops, holds, or other impediments to issuance in the applicants driving record.