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RALFFERS

Foreign Cars (Question for Illinois Cops)

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I have a guest staying with me from Poland, & for the last half hour I've been trying to explain to him that - yes, he can drive here in the U.S using his his Polish drivers license [as long as his visa is valid & he has his passport with him]. He can even bring his vehicle here, from Poland & drive on U.S. roads, as long as the car is registered here. However, my friend keeps insisting that - not only can he drive using his home country's drivers license, & driving his car from his country which is brought over, but also that he can drive said car on its Polish license plates... He thinks that he only needs to buy U.S. insurance coverage for the car I keep telling him that, no, the car has to be registered here for the time it will be driven on U.S. roads. His response is: "well, how come an American, German, Croatian, or anyone else can come to my country & drive their car on their original plates, from their home country?..." I keep telling him that it must be Poland's law, or law of the European Union - but he keeps insisting that it is an international law & thus he has a right to drive his car, using his license, & license plates from his country.

His argument is that the same car, with it's unique corresponding vin number cannot be registerd in 2 places at once.

His argument is ogical, therefore I think that maybe in such cases temporary plates are issued that you can drive on for as long as your foreign drivers license is valid (which, according to U.S. law, is as long as your visa is valid). But I still wonder if you can drive a foreign car with its foreign license plates on U.S. roads.
Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

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in about 1999 I saw a really nice Mercedes coupe with Saudi Arabian plates. The guy driving it said he was allowed to do so, and he was touring US for next 3 months.

a short Google search came up with this :

http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm/entering_us/7importingyourcar.htm

this part seems pertinent :

MOTORISTS VISITING THE UNITED STATES as tourists from countries that have ratified the Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949 may drive in the U.S. for one year with their own national Iicense plates (registration tags) on their cars and with their own personal driver's licenses.

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But you might want to check with whichever state he's actually domiciled in to make sure there aren't other state-specific laws as well.

I found this link.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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I see cars (and semi trucks) with Canadian plates all the time in the US.

Mexican less often, but occasionally.
I've seen Panama, Belize and (I think) Brazilian once each.

I think a valid license, current registration in his home country and insurance valid in the US is all he needs.
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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aS A WORLD TRAVELLER AND SOMEONE PLANNING ON DRIVING THE GLOBE ONE DAY i HAVE ONE WORD IN RESPONSE TO YOUR POST rALFFERS


CARNET



aka Carnet de Passage ;) Google it

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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