Question about swaping for Austrian drivers License..

[Zu]

I am posting this question because i did not find it coverd in the older threads about driving license issues in austria..and to be honest most of the info on this is quite old. Anyway i read a recent post on this site where it was suggested that instead of swaping your american, state issued license, an international drivers permit (like the one issued by AAA in the States) would also work for swaping it for an austrian license.

Yes i've tried contacting the OP but got no response..so thats why i am posting my quiries here. For me it would definitley make a big difference because i travel frequently between california-Austria (in cali right now) so keeping my california state license would be absolutley preferred...i know in some states you are allawed to drive with eu license(not yet sure if it includes california)..but as mentioned if i can hold on to my cali license then thats what i prefer to do.

Ive also read somewhere that what actually happens (if you swap with your american state issued license)is that austrian authorities pass on your american license to the american embassy which in turn, mails it back to you. I'd be curious to know if anyone has actually gone through this process and if so, how long before the embassy returned your license?

Any speedy heads up cheerfully accepted.
Zu.

[Snowdog]

Zu,

The following comments are to the best of my knowledge. Also my experience was 3 years ago, although I have heard from others it has not changed much.

The AAA drivers license is only good for 6 months, period. You can get the equivalent at OMAC.

The license you have here is a translation of your US license. Some States have a reciprocity with Austria check that out.

You license is returned to the US Embassey. They just destroy it, period. When you are back in CA apply for a replacement say your US was lost. Technically it was.

To get your Austrian at the Verkhrsamt (sic, I cannot spell for S__) at Spittlau. Can go easy or it can be aggravating. Heard a lot of stories.

Good Luck

[flinx1241]

I can only speak from my own experience about two years back. Traded in my Missouri license. Not sure what they did with it, but it certainly never came back to me. The next time I went back to the states, I went to the DMV, told them that I had lost my license and had them issue me a new one. Worked like a charm...

[CapnNismo]

Zu, let me know when you're in Austria and ready to go to the Verkehrsamt, I'll go with you. I live one train station away, so it's no big deal for me to come and translate for you. Drop me a line and lemme know.

I never received my American driver's license, though. Mine was two months away from expiring when I got my Austrian and the Georgia DMV sent a renewal letter to my parents' house (where I officially live in the USA) and they just forged my signature and renewed it for me via the mail. No big deal that way.

[Zu]

thanks guys for the quick response..