I just moved to the US on an L-1 visa. Can I keep driving with my home country driver's license, and for how long? Someone told me an International Driving Permit makes it legal everywhere indefinitely.
You can drive on your home country license right now, but only for a short grace period that depends on your state. An International Driving Permit does not give you indefinite driving privileges.
You are perfectly legal to drive today while you get settled. You just need to apply for a state license before your new state's grace period runs out.
An International Driving Permit is not a standalone license. It simply translates your government-issued driver's license into 10 languages.
While IDPs issued for use in the U.S. are valid for 1 year, that timeline applies to visitors. As an L-1 visa holder who has moved to the U.S. to live and work, state laws consider you a resident for driving purposes. Establishing residency overrides the visitor timeline and triggers an immediate obligation to get a state-issued driver's license.
The residency requirement for obtaining a U.S. driver's license is different in each state. Your home country license is valid only during the short grace period your specific state allows for new residents.
For example, California requires you to get a state license within 10 days of establishing residence. Texas allows a new resident to operate a motor vehicle for no more than 90 days after entering the state.
Once you get a state driver's license, it allows you to drive anywhere in the U.S.
