Moving to Pennsylvania, Obtaining a Driver's License

Written by ASC Title & Tags Wednesday March 28, 2018

You are becoming a Pennsylvania resident and it's time to get your vehicle(s) changed over from your last State to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. You don't even know where to look. The place you came from involved the Department of Vehicles, a place that you went to with a packed lunch and a sick day from work because it was going to be an all day process. Once you got there, you would somehow be given the wrong form and after waiting in line for 2 hours, get to the front to be told you had the wrong form. You would have a new one handed to you and head to the back of the line, once again. Well, Pennsylvania isn't like that.

The Pennsylvania DMV is known as PennDot, acronym for Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. They handle anything that has to do with the roadways or use of the roadways. This would include Driver Licenses and Vehicle Titling and Registrations. The operations for processing Driver Licenses and Motor Vehicle work are separate. They have been working hard to move people through the Driver License facilities as quickly as possible and there have been many improvements.

After you get into Pennsylvania, the first thing you need to do is get a Driver License. It's not complicated if you have a current one from another State. You have to bring your out-of-State driver's license with you. Pennsylvania makes it easy. There is NO driving test. You will have to take a quick eye test at the facility. Your license can even be expired up to 6 months before it will not be accepted. If your license happens to be expired for more than 6 months, you will have to start again with a Driver's Permit or renew your license from your former State before establishing residency here in Pennsylvania. The next thing you will need is your Proof of Residency and your Social Security Card. Now that I have made it sound overly easy, there are a couple other things you need to bring which makes it a bit more difficult. To make it easy for you, below is a link to the acceptable documents. Also, remember to bring a Check or Money Order. These facilities to not accept cash! The closest location to our office is the PennDot Driver License Exam Center in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

The address is: Lincoln Court Shopping Center, 225 West Lancaster Avenue, Malvern PA, 19335
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - Identification and Residency Requirements for U.S. Citizens

Once you are properly prepared with all of your documents, it's time to go to the PennDot Driver Exam Center. Penndot has two types facilities for Driver Licensing. One is a Photo License Center, which only processes new Driver Licenses for current residents that need to get their new Photo License. These offices only take the picture. That's all they do. People bring in their camera card and give it to the clerk. With that card and a quick photo job, you are in and out, usually in less than 10 minutes! This is not the one you want to go to. Please keep in mind that the busiest days of operation are always the last two days of the month and the first two days of the month.

The other is the Driver Testing or Exam Center. This is the one you want to go to. Below is a link to all the locations in the Commonwealth, along with hours of operation.
Pennsylvania Driver's License Center Locations

Prices for a Pennsylvania Driver License (as of August 2017) are as follows:
Initial Permit & 4-Year License: $35.50
Initial Permit & 2-Year License (age 65+): $25
Initial Class M Permit & 4-Year License: $45.50
Initial Class M Permit & 2-Year License (age 65+): $35
Initial Class M Permit, Initial Permit, 4-Year License: $50.50
Adding or Extending Class M Permit: $10
Adding or Extending Class A, B, or C Permit: $5

After you get your Temporary Pennsylvania Driver License, then you can get your Pennsylvania License plates! That will be Part 2, Moving to Pennsylvania - Title and Registering Your Vehicle