Driver's License
The diplomatic and consular missions in the United States cannot
issue or renew Belgian driver's licenses.
In Belgium, only residents (both Belgian and non Belgian) who are registered with a Belgian local authority (commune/gemeente) can
obtain a Belgian driver's license. In accordance with the European regulations,
European driver's licenses are always issued by the local authorities in
all European member states.
This is also the case in the United States where the state authorities
issue driver's licenses.
If you are a Belgian citizen residing in the United States, you should obtain an American driver's
license. In some states, you may be able to exchange your Belgian driver's license for an
American one; in other states, you have to pass a test. Please contact the Department of Motor Vehicles of your state for
specific information. For detailed information, made available and
updated by each state's administration, please click:
Alabama;
Alaska;
Arizona;
Arkansas;
Bahamas;
California;
Colorado;
Connecticut;
Delaware;
District of Columbia;
Florida;
Georgia;
Hawaii;
Idaho;
Illinois;
Indiana;
Iowa;
Kansas;
Kentucky;
Louisiana;
Maine;
Maryland;
Massachusetts;
Michigan;
Minnesota;
Mississippi;
Missouri;
Montana;
Nebraska;
Nevada;
New Hampshire;
New Jersey;
New Mexico;
New York;
North Carolina;
North Dakota;
Ohio;
Oklahoma;
Oregon;
Pennsylvania;
Puerto Rico;
Rhode Island;
South Carolina;
South Dakota;
Tennessee;
Texas;
Utah;
Vermont;
Virginia;
Washington;
Washington,_D.C.;
West Virginia;
Wisconsin;
Wyoming.
Visitors
It is perfectly legal for a Belgian citizen who resides in the United States to drive in
Belgium and europe with a valid U.S. driver's license when visiting as a tourist
or for business. To drive in the US, a Belgian citizen must obtain an international driver’s
permit (IDP) from the local administration in Belgium where he is registered, before coming to
the US. The IDP verifies that one holds a valid license in his home country.
Once a Belgian citizen returns to Belgium on a permanent basis and
establishes residence in Belgium, (s)he should once again obtain a
Belgian driver's license from the "commune/ gemeente". In most cases,
the U.S. driver's license can then be exchanged for a Belgian one.
