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Can I drive in FL with a NY conditional license?
Anonymous7 views5 answers
I was recently arrested for Aggravated DWI in the state of NY, the state I'm licensed in, and I am planning on plea bargaining down to DWI. I have moved to FL since the arrest. I am planning on applying for a conditional license in NY and I'm wondering if I would be allowed to drive within the state of FL using such a license, assuming I'm following the restrictions set forth by the NYS DMV.
A resident of Florida must have a FL driver's license. I assume from your story you are now a resident so I would especially consult an attorney to discuss before you actually apply and therein disclose the NY troubles.
I do not think waiting is the best answer.
If you are a Florida resident, you are required to have a Florida drivers licence and register your vehicle in Florida. You can check with Florida DHSMV to see if they will issue you a valid DL, a business purpose only license, or if your driving privilege is suspended in Florida, in which case you will get an ID card only. Try to get this straightened out as soon as you can. Many jurisdictions in Florida will give you jail time if are caught driving while on an alcohol suspension.
Florida law requires that you get a Florida drivers license within 30 days of becoming a resident of Florida. You are a resident if you do one of the following:
Enroll your children in a Florida public school
Accept employment
Register to Vote
File for a homestead exemption
Reside in Florida for more than six consecutive months
Potentially a very tricky situation. See a Florida DUI attorney before you do anything!!!! When you move to Florida and apply for a D/L, any and all DUI offenses that can be found anywhere will now go on your Florida record and your ability to drive in Florida will be determined by Florida laws and rules. I have seen situations where a person gets fully reinstated in another state and then moves to Florida and tries to get a Florida D/L and ends up with a permanent revocation in Florida. Be careful and get good advice before you do anything!!!
I don't practice law in Florida but I can tell you that it is very rare, if ever, that one state will honor a limited permit from another state. If you are fully licensed you may go through the process of gaining a new license in the state you are moving to, but if you are driving on a limited or conditional permit, you usually must regain your full NY license before being eligible for a new license in another state.
