§404. Operation of motor vehicles by nonresidents, students, and military personnel and dependents; reciprocity agreements with foreign countries

A. A nonresident or a nonresident minor, who has been licensed to drive or operate a motor vehicle under the laws of his home state and who has in his immediate possession a valid license issued to him by his home state, shall be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in this state without examination or license for a period not to exceed ninety days. The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations covering the case of any person whose home state does not require a license, and they shall have the full force and effect of law.

B. A student attending a Louisiana school but who is domiciled in another state, and who has in his immediate possession both a valid license issued to him by his home state and a current student identification card, shall be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in this state without examination or Louisiana license during his enrollment as a student and for not more than ninety days thereafter.

C.(1) A person on active duty with the armed forces of the United States and stationed within Louisiana who is domiciled in another state and who has in his immediate possession both a valid license issued to him by his home state and a current military identification card, hereafter in this Section referred to as a person on active duty, may drive a motor vehicle in this state without examination or Louisiana license during the period of residency in Louisiana and for not more than ninety days thereafter.

(2) A resident dependent of any person on active duty with the armed forces of the United States and stationed within Louisiana but who is domiciled in another state and who has in his immediate possession both a valid license issued to him by his home state and a current military dependent identification card, hereafter in this Section referred to as a military dependent, shall be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in this state without examination or Louisiana license during the period of residency with the supporting member of the armed forces while stationed in Louisiana and for not more than ninety days thereafter.

D. A nonresident, a student, a person on active duty, or a military dependent who has in his immediate possession a license not valid in his home state, but which has not been revoked or suspended, may be issued a temporary license for a period not to exceed ten days for the purpose of allowing such person a period of time sufficient to acquire a valid license in his home state. Only one temporary license shall be issued to the same individual within the twelve-month period immediately following the issue of a temporary license.

E. Except as provided herein, each nonresident, student, person on active duty, or military dependent must meet all the requirements set forth in Chapter 2 of this Title except as to residence.

F.(1) The deputy secretary of public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to enter into reciprocity agreements with jurisdictions or agencies in foreign countries or with foreign governments that issue driver's licenses or the equivalent.

(2) The rules shall specify the following:

(a) The driver's license standards of the licensing jurisdiction or agency in a foreign country or the foreign government shall be comparable to those of this state.

(b) The foreign drivers, who are operating a motor vehicle in Louisiana under such a reciprocity agreement, shall comply with the compulsory motor vehicle liability security laws of this state.

(c) The department shall specify in the agreement which licensing requirements may be waived for an applicant for a driver's license in this state.

(3) The issuance of a commercial driver's license pursuant to a reciprocity agreement shall be prohibited.

Amended by Acts 1954, No. 165, §2; Acts 1978, No. 311, §1; Acts 1989, No. 268, §1, eff. June 27, 1989; Acts 1997, No. 265, §1; Acts 2001, No. 49, §1; Acts 2018, No. 552, §1.