Is it legal to have two driver’s licenses from two different states? – Jalopnik

We can’t think of a non-obscure reason to have multiple driver’s licenses from different states, other than the occasional confused snowbird who mistakenly believes he must simultaneously maintain his driver’s license in Florida and the other state where he lives the rest of the year. On the other hand, there have been drivers who have purchased multiple licenses to issue traffic violations and points to avoid increasing their insurance premiums. We think stopping speeding would have been a simpler solution. But what do we know?

Of course, not everyone who questions whether driver’s licenses from different states are legal is trying to break the law. Like the snowbirds mentioned earlier, some are moving back and forth between two different states and just want to know what the law requires of them. However, many have obtained licenses from various states in the past to commit crimes such as identity fraud or avoid legal trouble. It may seem like a tempting way to avoid high taxes and car registration fees in your home state by claiming residency in another state (some avoid high car registration and taxes by forming an LLC in Montana). And imagine if someone could avoid a license suspension for multiple DUIs by simply using a license they hold from another state.

It’s no wonder that states have laws that prohibit owning more than one driver’s license. And now, with shared databases, states have the means to contact other states before issuing you a driver’s license. The federal government has also stepped in with the REAL ID law, which specifically prevents compliant states from issuing a driver’s license to someone who already has one in another state.

For example, Washington law says you “may not have more than one valid driver’s license at a time.” Pennsylvania iIt’s quite explicit, as the law states that “no person shall at any time hold more than one valid driver’s license issued by this or any other state.” California Vehicle Code clearly states that: “A person shall not possess… more than one driver’s license.” In the same way, Georgia State Law strictly prohibits “more than one valid driver’s license at a time.” West Virginia requires drivers to surrender all driver’s licenses issued by other states before they can obtain a WV license. Texas will not only refuse to issue a permit to anyone who already has one, but it will also not issue an identification card. In the Lone Star State you can have a license or an identification card, but not both.

The penalties for having more than one driver’s license can also be quite severe, including suspension of your driver’s license and high fees. For example, in Florida, having two driver’s licenses is a first-degree misdemeanor. Under Florida Statute 775.083(d), first-degree felonies are punishable by fines up to $1,000. That should make anyone think about trying to have licenses in multiple states.

Originally, the date to begin enforcement of this law was set for 2008. But for this law to work, it required the cooperation of individual states, since states issue IDs and driver’s licenses, not the federal government. It took time for states to sign up and comply, so the implementation date kept getting postponed. It only took twenty years for REAL ID to become enforceable, but eventually all 50 states signed on and became compliant, with a final enforcement date of May 7, 2025. Since then, a REAL ID-compliant license or ID has been required to board an aircraft (bad news for sovereign citizens, who don’t even think you need a driver’s license to drive).

What does all this have to do with whether you can have licenses from different states? Well, to comply with the REAL ID law, states must refuse to issue a driver’s license to someone who already has a driver’s license in another state unless that person surrenders or terminates that driver’s license. Okay, so don’t tell the DMV clerk that you’re licensed in another state, right? Like we said, states talk. They share information and often know immediately whether you are already licensed in another state. In other words, you won’t get a second license in another state, at least not legally.