The short answer to “can I drive in the US with my Guatemalan license?” is it depends on the state. There is no federal driver’s license rule; each state writes its own. This page reports what five states actually say, the five with the largest Guatemalan-origin population estimates in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey: California, Florida, Texas, New York and New Jersey. We read each state’s DMV page or statute on 24-25 September 2026. For any other state, check that state’s DMV.
In short: Visiting: California lets a visitor over 18 with a valid home-country license drive; New York says you can drive with a valid foreign license; Florida exempts a nonresident 18 or older carrying one; New Jersey allows up to one year only with an International Driving Permit. Moving there: California wants a California license within 10 days of becoming a resident; Texas gives new residents 90 days; Florida gives 30 days after starting a job or enrolling children in public school (with exceptions such as nonresident migrant or seasonal farm workers). No state we read swaps a Guatemalan license without tests.
State by state
| State | Visiting on a Guatemalan license | Once you live there | Source we read |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | A visitor over 18 with a valid license from their home state or country may drive without a California license as long as it stays valid | Get a California license within 10 days of becoming a resident. The DMV treats you as a resident if you intend to live in the state six months or more in a year, among other tests | DMV Fast Facts 5 (rev. 6/2020); DMV new-resident page |
| Texas | The part of the statute’s nonresident provision we read, § 521.030(a)-(b), covers Class C licenses from a US state or Canadian province; we did not read the rest of the section | A new resident 16 or older may drive for no more than 90 days after entering Texas with a license from their state or country of previous residence | Transportation Code §§ 521.029, 521.030 |
| Florida | Exempt from a Florida license: a nonresident 18 or older carrying a valid noncommercial license from their home state or country (16 or older for Class E vehicles), unless the license is invalid under § 322.033 | A nonresident (other than a nonresident migrant or seasonal farm worker) who takes a job or enrols children in public school must get a Florida license within 30 days if they drive on Florida’s highways | Florida Statutes §§ 322.04, 322.031, 322.033 (2026) |
| New York | «You can drive in New York State with a valid driver license from another country.» | A New York license is needed only if you become a resident: written test, 5-hour pre-licensing course, road test | NY DMV, Resources for Non-US Citizens |
| New Jersey | Visitors may drive up to one year with a foreign license accompanied by an International Driving Permit issued in their country of residence | Transfer a foreign license with the required documents; reciprocity (skipping tests) only for Taiwan and South Korea | NJ MVC, Moving to New Jersey |
Texas: read the statute, not a summary
Texas’s Transportation Code has two provisions that matter:
- § 521.029, new residents. «A person who enters this state as a new resident may operate a motor vehicle in this state for no more than 90 days after the date on which the person enters this state» if 16 or older and carrying a license «issued to the person by the person’s state or country of previous residence.» If prosecuted, the person must prove they have not lived in Texas more than 90 days.
- § 521.030(b), nonresidents. Lets a nonresident 16 or older drive Class C or M vehicles on a license from «the person’s state or Canadian province of residence». Guatemala is neither. We read subsections (a) and (b) only, not the rest of § 521.030.
We could not load the Texas Department of Public Safety’s own page on foreign licenses (the site did not respond on 24-25 September 2026), so this row reports the statute only.
Florida: the nonresident exemption, and one warning
Florida’s exemption in § 322.04(1)(d) is for a nonresident with the license «in his or her immediate possession», and it carries a condition: the license must not be invalid under § 322.033. That section says a license of a class issued by another state exclusively to people unable to prove lawful presence in the United States is invalid in Florida and does not authorise driving there, and that the state keeps a list of such out-of-state license classes on its website.
That matters to Guatemalans with a license from a state that issues licenses without proof of lawful presence (California’s are known as AB 60 licenses, per the California DMV). Before driving in Florida on one, check Florida’s list.
New York: the road test and your Guatemalan license
The NY DMV adds two practical points: when you pass the road test you hand your foreign license to the examiner, and the DMV destroys it; and if your license is not in English you bring an International Driving Permit or a certified translation to the road test. With a New York learner permit, a valid foreign license lets you drive without a supervising driver.
The International Driving Permit
Guatemala acceded to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic on January 10, 1962, and the United States ratified it on August 30, 1950 (UN Treaty Collection). The permit Guatemala issues follows that model and is issued by the Touring y Automóvil Club de Guatemala, not the traffic department: see how Guatemalans get an International Driving Permit. Apply for it before you leave Guatemala; New Jersey’s rule asks for a permit issued in your country of residence.
Of the five states, only New Jersey requires the permit for visitors in the texts we read.
If you are staying: getting a license regardless of status
- California issues licenses to all residents regardless of immigration status (the “AB 60” license), per the DMV handbook and new-resident page.
- New York says you do not need to be a US citizen to get a license, permit or non-driver ID.
Other states’ rules differ and were not surveyed here.
Related
- Guatemalans in the US: population by state: where the five states above come from
- A US driver’s license in Guatemala: the opposite direction
- Getting a driver’s license in Guatemala
Sources: California DMV Fast Facts 5, Requirements for a California Driver License (FFDL 5, rev. 6/2020), New Resident Portal and Driver’s Handbook section 1, read on 24 September 2026; Texas Transportation Code §§ 521.027, 521.029, 521.030 (Texas Legislature statutes site, read 25 September 2026); Florida Statutes 2026, §§ 322.04, 322.031, 322.033 (Online Sunshine, read 25 September 2026); NY DMV, Resources for Non-US Citizens (read 25 September 2026); NJ MVC, Moving to New Jersey and first-time-driver FAQ (read 25 September 2026); UN Treaty Collection, Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva 1949, status (read 24 September 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive in the US with a Guatemalan driver's license?
It depends on the state and on whether you are a visitor or a resident there. In the five states we read: California lets a visitor over 18 with a valid license from their home country drive; New York says you can drive with a valid license from another country and need a NY license only if you become a resident; Florida exempts a nonresident 18 or older carrying a valid license from their home country; New Jersey allows visitors to drive up to one year with a foreign license accompanied by an International Driving Permit; Texas’s statute gives new residents 90 days on a license from their country of previous residence.
Do I need an International Driving Permit?
New Jersey’s MVC requires one for visitors driving on a foreign license (up to one year). The California, New York and Florida texts we read do not require one for visitors; New York asks for an International Driving Permit or a certified translation at the road test if your license is not in English. In Guatemala the permit is issued by the Touring y Automóvil Club de Guatemala.
How long can I drive on my Guatemalan license after moving to the US?
California: once you become a resident, you must get a California license within 10 days. Texas: a new resident 16 or older may drive for no more than 90 days after entering the state with a license from their country of previous residence. Florida: a nonresident (other than a nonresident migrant or seasonal farm worker) who takes a job or enrols children in public school must get a Florida license within 30 days if they drive on Florida’s highways. New York and New Jersey: a license is needed once you become a resident; the pages we read give no grace period for foreign licenses.
Can I swap my Guatemalan license for a US license without tests?
Not in the states we read. New Jersey’s reciprocity list for foreign licenses has two countries, Taiwan and South Korea. New York requires a written test, a 5-hour pre-licensing course and a road test, and when you pass, the road test examiner takes your foreign license and the local DMV office destroys it. California requires the knowledge and drive tests.
Is my California AB 60 license valid in Florida?
Florida law (section 322.033) makes invalid in Florida any out-of-state license of a class issued exclusively to people unable to prove lawful presence, and says the state keeps a list of such license classes on its website. Check that list before you drive in Florida.
Can I renew my Guatemalan license from the US?
That is a Guatemalan procedure, not a US one; the requirements and where it is done are on our license renewal page. This page covers only what US states say.
