My DDS visit to transfer California driver license to Georgia took about 15 minutes, but I spent more time before it checking my documents than I did at the counter. I walked in without an appointment about 30 minutes before closing, there was no line, and I left with a paper temporary license.
I’m writing this as one person’s experience, not as DDS guidance. Where the official rules matter, I’ve linked to them, because they’re what you’ll be held to. My earlier post on getting a California license with REAL ID covers the first half of the story.
The Documents I Took to DDS
I brought my California driver license, my passport, my Social Security card, my I-94, and two documents showing my Georgia address. Those were my vehicle registration and a utility bill. DDS asks for two address documents from separate sources, each showing your name and current residential address, and a P.O. box doesn’t count. Georgia also requires you to surrender your out-of-state license when you transfer it.
DDS asks you to submit the License/ID/Permit form online before you visit, and your Social Security number goes into that form. I filled it out online and printed it to bring with me. DDS only asks for a supporting document if the number fails to verify; I brought my Social Security card anyway.
If you’re not a US citizen, DDS wants one identity document and, where required, a lawful status document. For me that meant my passport and I-94. DDS doesn’t accept translated documents, and the name on the license has to match your immigration documents exactly.
The Visit Took About 15 Minutes
The staff member went through my documents, took my photo, and collected the fee. I did not take a written knowledge test, a road test, or a vision exam. DDS waives the written and road tests for a valid out-of-state license that hasn’t been expired for more than two years. Its current guidance also lists a vision exam as a transfer requirement, though I wasn’t given one, so what happens at your visit may differ from mine.
I paid $26 by card. That’s what I was charged, and I don’t know how DDS sets the amount, so check the current DDS fees page before you go. I left with a paper temporary license, and the physical card arrived by mail about one to two weeks later. That’s just how long mine took.
My Georgia license was issued with the same expiration date as my I-94. I’d treat that as something to look at on your own card, not a rule that applies to every non-citizen.
What to Check Before You Go
- You’re within 30 days of becoming a Georgia resident, which is DDS’s deadline to apply.
- Your California license hasn’t been expired for more than two years. If it has, you’ll need to pass the written, road, and vision tests, and you’ll need a certified driving record from California.
- Both address documents show your name and your Georgia street address, from two different sources.
- If you want a REAL ID, the same document rules apply. DDS says REAL ID-compliant cards have been required for official federal purposes, such as boarding domestic flights, since May 7, 2025.
Transferring the license doesn’t register your car. Georgia treats vehicle registration as a separate step, also due within 30 days of moving, and it goes through the Department of Revenue rather than DDS.
Official references: DDS: transferring an out-of-state license and DDS: REAL ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my California license has expired?
DDS accepts an out-of-state license that hasn’t been expired for more than two years for a standard transfer. After that, you’d need to pass the written knowledge test, road test, and vision exam, and provide a certified driving record from the issuing state. Check the DDS page above for current rules.
Does transferring my license also transfer my car registration?
No. In Georgia, vehicle registration is handled separately through the Department of Revenue, and the 30-day deadline applies to it too.