Students are first encouraged to visit their state’s DMV website and read up on the licensing requirements and application materials. Follow the instructions on the website to prepare all materials and schedule an appointment if necessary.

If you are applying in Maryland, you must fill out the MVA’s SAVE verification request several business days before visiting the MVA. The Maryland MVA will respond via e-mail with a confirmation that you can take with you when you visit the MVA.

If you do not have a social security number, you will need a letter of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration (SSA) as part of your documentation to apply for your license. You can obtain a letter of ineligibility by following the procedure to submit an application for a SSN in person at a nearby SSA office. If you are not currently employed in the United States, the SSA will determine that you are ineligible for a SSN and issue a letter of ineligibility. You can then take this letter with you to the MVA as part of your application documentation for your driver’s license.

First, you need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). Please wait 10 days after your arrival to the U.S. to apply for the SSN. You will not need a letter from ISSS stating your eligibility for an SSN; you will merely need your passport, I-94 record, DS-2019, and your UMD ID card. Once you have received your SSN in the mail, you can begin the process of applying for your driver’s license.

If you are applying for your driver’s license in the state of Maryland, you will first need to fill out the SAVE Verification request form. After you fill out this form, a representative from the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) will contact you. You will then need to schedule an appointment to go to the MVA. SAVE Verification lasts for 30 days, so your appointment will need to be within 30 days of your SAVE Verification. When you go to your MVA appointment, please be sure to bring all necessary documents with you.Use the MVA’s Document Selector tool to help you determine what documents you need to bring.

Please note that J-2 dependents who do not have an EAD card will need to receive a letter of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration before applying for the driver’s license. Maryland residents who do not have a foreign driver’s license will need to first obtain a Maryland learner’s permit and complete the Maryland Driver Education program and meet other requirements before making an appointment and taking your driver’s test.

Before applying for a driver’s license, some other steps are required for J-1 student interns.

If you are paid by the University of Maryland: In order to first apply for your Social Security Number (SSN), you will need an employment letter from our office. You will need to wait until 10 days after your arrival in the U.S. to ask your ISSS advisor for this letter. You may request that letter from your ISSS advisor. After you apply for and receive the SSN, you may proceed with applying for the driver’s license.

If you are NOT paid by the University of Maryland: First, you will need to apply for a letter of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration (SSA). That is, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number, but since you are ineligible, the SSA will give you a letter stating so. Please wait until 10 days after your arrival to go to SSA to get the letter. After you receive this letter from the SSA, you may apply for your driver’s license.

If you are applying for your driver’s license in the state of Maryland, you will first need to fill out the SAVE Verification request form. After you fill out this form, a representative from the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) will contact you. You will then need to schedule an appointment to go to the MVA. SAVE Verification lasts for 30 days, so your appointment will need to be within 30 days of your SAVE Verification. When you go to your MVA appointment, please be sure to bring all necessary documents with you.Use the MVA’s Document Selector tool to help you determine what documents you need to bring.

For those in H-1B, E-3, TN, or O-1 status, the process for obtaining a driver’s license is relatively simple:

• After receiving your SSN, you will first need to fill out the SAVE Verification request form. 
  • Once you fill out this form, a representative from the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) will contact you. 
• You will then need to schedule an appointment to go to the MVA.
  • SAVE Verification lasts for 30 days, so your appointment will need to be within 30 days of your SAVE Verification. 
• When you go to your MVA appointment, please be sure to bring all necessary documents with you. Use the MVA’s Document Selector tool to help you determine what documents you need to bring.

For those in H-1B status: 

• If you apply for the driver’s license in Maryland, you will not be required to bring the original I-797 Approval Notice. You may simply bring your bottom portion with you. 
• If you are applying for a driver’s license in Virginia or Washington, D.C., you will need the entire I-797 Approval Notice. Our office keeps these documents. Please reach out to your ISSS advisor (the advisor who filed your case) for information about how to borrow the I-797 Approval Notice from ISSS.

State laws may vary on this issue. In Maryland, an individual is permitted to drive with a foriegn driver’s license for up to one year after arrival. The license must be translated in English and must be accompanied by the original license.

However, local law enforcement officials may not be trained to recognize the period of time a foreign national has been present in the U.S. and citations can occur. For this reason, we recommend that you obtain a driver’s license in the state you reside in as soon as possible after arriving in the United States.

The MVA may need to verify your immigration status to process your application. To verify your status, they use the SAVE program, a service that is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In most cases, the SAVE verification can be completed in person during your driver’s license application. If you are applying for a license in Maryland and are a F1, F2, J1, J2, H1B, H4 or G4, complete this SAVE verification application prior to going to the Maryland MVA office.

In a small number of cases, the agency may need to complete a request for additional verification through the SAVE program. This may take some time and individuals should remain patient while the MVA works with USCIS to complete the additional verification. The MVA should be able to provide you with a verification case number which you can use to follow the application on SAVE CaseCheck.

It is required that all licensed drivers carry a valid auto insurance policy. Review this guide for tips on shopping for an auto insurance policy.

• Resources for students
  • Visit https://transportation.umd.edu/parking/students to register for a parking permit. Students must be registered for at least 1 credit and have a valid directory ID before applying for their parking permit. Tip: register for parking as early as possible within the application time.
• Resources for faculty and scholars (J-1 scholars, H-1B faculty)
  • Visit the DOTS website for more information about staff and faculty parking on campus: https://transportation.umd.edu/parking/faculty-staff
  • Work with your human resources contact in your department/unit to sign up for parking on campus.