When you move to the U.S. Virgin Islands, you have a brief grace period of three months to get your local driver’s license. If you drive through a checkpoint without one and your car has been registered for more than a few months, you will not be on the officer’s good side. Here’s how to get one in the most painless way possible, avoiding multiple trips to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV):
1. Bring a Big Pile of Documents (originals only, no copies)
If you moved from the U.S. mainland and are applying for a U.S. Virgin Islands driver’s license for the first time, you are required to bring a copy of your driving record from the state that issued your current license. Most states offer this document online for a nominal fee.
Identification (1 needed):
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. passport
- Consular proof of birth abroad
- Work permit card
- Certificate of naturalization
- Permanent residence card
- Alien registration receipt card (aka green card)
If you are changing your name, also bring:
- Original or certified copy of all marriage licenses
- Courts orders that show your name change(s)
Verification of Social Security Number (1 needed):
- Social security card
- W-2
- 1099
- Paycheck
- Medicare card
Proof of Virgin Islands Residency (2 needed, cannot be from the same source):
- Deed / mortgage / payment booklet / rental agreement
- USVI vehicle registration or title
- Utility bill
- Notarized statement from a person with which you live, along with one addressed document in that person’s name.
2. Dress Appropriately
Believe it or not, there’s a dress code. Be sure to have covered shoulders or they will not take your driver’s license photo.
3. Call First
You never know when it’s one of many locally recognized holidays, the water has gone out or the internet is down. Call before you go:
- St. Croix 340.713.4268
- St. John 340.776.6262
- St. Thomas 340.774.4267
4. Learn Your BMV Windows
- Start at window one to verify that your documents are acceptable.
- On approval, move to window two to pay your $60 (cost as of August 2016).
- Lastly, take your big pile of documents, payment receipt and completed driver’s license application to the unnumbered window at the end of the trailer. They’ll review them and call you in when it’s your turn.
For those making the leap to island life, there are luckily few forms of island initiation. Making the move to paradise is easier than you think. Download our free St. Croix Event Guide to find the perfect time for an extended visit, to see if St. Croix or St. Thomas is the right island for you. A great next step is to contact Chris and Kerri Hanley to find an ideal home or condo, to rent or purchase. As the top broker on-island year after year, Chris is the authority on Virgin Islands real estate. Contact Them Today