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I've recently moved to California as a postdoctoral researcher. I'm here with the J-1 visa (exchange visitor program) which expires after one year.

I'm planning to rent a car to visit California. So I'm wondering whether I need to get a California driver license or I can use the one issued by my home country.

From what I understood (see this related question), any foreign person can drive in California with his/her foreign driver license unless he/she is a resident of California. My problem is that I do not know if I am or not considered a resident of California.

Since I will stay in California for (at most) one year, I would say that this constitutes enough evidence to prove that I am not a resident. However, I would love to hear any experience/comment/suggestion from those of you that have been in a similar situation.

Thank you so much for your help.

Ludwig
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On this page, California DMV addresses who's a resident:

If you become a California resident, you must get a California DL within ten (10) days. Residency is established by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner's property tax exemption, or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.

Thus, if you don't do the listed things, it looks like you can continue to use a valid drivers license from your home country. If that license is printed in a language other than English, you should obtain an International Drivers Permit (which is actually not a license, but only a translation into English of your license) to ease any interaction you might have with the authorities here.

DavidRecallsMonica
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As far as I can understand from this, you should be able to use your own driver's license.

"...California does recognize a valid driver license that is issued by a foreign jurisdiction (country, state, territory) of which the license holder is a resident..."

You are still a resident of you own country; as long as your driver's license is valid you should not have a problem.

Max
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