"Driving Without A License"

[Roasted]

What is this referring to?

Having a license but not physically having it on you when you are driving?

Or not having a legal registered driver's license at all?

I always thought it was not having a license AT ALL but my buddy thinks otherwise. That got me wondering - what is it? I assume it may vary state to state but, for what it's worth, I'm in Pennsylvania.

[overdrank]

What is this referring to?

Having a license but not physically having it on you when you are driving?

Or not having a legal registered driver's license at all?

I always thought it was not having a license AT ALL but my buddy thinks otherwise. That got me wondering - what is it? I assume it may vary state to state but, for what it's worth, I'm in Pennsylvania.

Where I live it is you must have the physical Drivers license with you.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

In most states I have been in, you are written a ticket for driving without a license if you do not have one in your possession when you are pulled over for some reason. They typically require that you present your license at a state office in order to have the ticket dismissed. There is usually a time limit requiring you to produce evidence of a license before the fine has to be paid even if you do have a license.

[The Toxic Mite]

I think you have to carry your licence with you in the UK as well.

[xpod]

I think you have to carry your licence with you in the UK as well.

I believe you do have to carry it by law but failure to do so will not result in you being prosecuted.I think it`s treated as civil matter.Generally you would be issued with a ticket(hort1) requiring you to hand the relevant documentation in at the local police station within 7 days.
Even thats not so important now-a-days though as a quick check of the PNC tells them everything they need to know.The only time you might be arrested for no license is if you have no other means of identification.

[swoll1980]

From my experience, the police don't care if you have the license with you, even though you are supposed to have it with you. They just run your social.

[cariboo]

Here in British Columbia, if you drive without a valid drivers license, the vehicle you are driving gets impounded for a minimum of 30 days, whether it belongs to you or not.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

From my experience, the police don't care if you have the license with you, even though you are supposed to have it with you. They just run your social.

The OP is from the United States of America. If your license is from another "state" (one of the other 49) they may not be able to run a check on it from their police car computer. Not all "states" within the United States of America cooperate with each other when sharing what may be private info; such as, social security numbers. It all depends on what "state" you are in and what "state" is your home residence.

I love the homogeneous US legal system :)

[tjwoosta]

I think in Maine your supposed to have it on you but if you dont they give you 48 hours to prove that you have one.

[ciborium]

Most states require that you have all of your restrictions present or you will get cited for "Driving Without A License." e.g. eyeglasses, hand controls

As for the non-homogeneous laws in the US... I'm glad they're different.It's much easier for me to get things changed in Frankfort, KY than to get them changed in DC. There is NO REASON to think that NY==CA==KY

[Wiebelhaus]

where i live it is you must have the physical drivers license with you.

+1

[Gizenshya]

I believe you do have to carry it by law but failure to do so will not result in you being prosecuted.I think it`s treated as civil matter.Generally you would be issued with a ticket(hort1) requiring you to hand the relevant documentation in at the local police station within 7 days.

LOL!!!


but anyway, it depends on the state. You might be getting driving without a license mixed up with driving on a revoked/suspended license. I've heard that if they pull you over for driving without a license, most judges will dismiss the case if you prove that you had a valid license (but it just wasn't with you).

but it all depends on the state.. and the judge. and other things. If you want any valid answer, you must ask a lawyer licensed to practice in your state.

[Firestem4]

Depending on where you live some states may require you to have the actual Drivers License I.D. CARD as proof. However so long as you know your Drivers License #Number, they can run the numbers from their computers. (they do the same process with the DL cards itself.)

This is ok to do in California. Again, other states operate differently.

[Gizenshya]

ID cards and Driver's licenses are different things. There is no national ID card. Driver's licenses can be used as ID, though, depending on the situation.