U.S. Living

Driving in the DFW Area:

The driver license or state I.D. card issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), serves as most people's primary identification document. Students and Scholars are encouraged to apply for a Texas I.D. or a Driver’s License once they have arrived in Dallas. Foreign nationals may drive on their foreign driver license for a period of up to one year, provided they have an International Driver's Permit (IDP).

The IDP is a document secured in one's home country of origin and serves only as a valid translation of a home country driver's license. It may not be used by itself, as the official home country driver's license must accompany it to be considered a valid driving document. Please check with your home country government office on how to obtain an IDP in your home country.

Please note that an IDP is not an International Driver's License - the internet has a lot of false information regarding an invalid document called an "International Driver's License". Please do not purchase one of these false documents, as it is not an acceptable legal document to drive in the US.

For more information please visit the Department of Public Safety website for the State of Texas.

 

Applying for a Texas State ID or Driver's License

You must have been a resident of Texas for at least 30 days to apply for a Texas ID Card or Driver's License.) The ISSS Office will take students to apply for their Texas ID at the beginning of each semester.
 

Below is a list of items you will need to apply for a Texas State ID or Driver's License:

  1. Completed  ()  
  2. Passport  
  3. Visa 
  4. I-94 ()
  5. I-20 
  6. If you have a Social Security Number, bring the card to DPS.If you do not have an SSN card, you will complete an affidavit. The affidavit will be given to you at the DPS office. Please wait to sign it until you are in front of