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     Automobile licenses are issued every four years on the applicant's birthday. New residents must apply for a new driver's license immediately. Once residency is established, an out-of-state license is no longer valid. Apply for a Michigan driver's license at any Secretary of State branch office (Click here for nearest locations and phone numbers).  License application requires a vision screening, a traffic test and a written examination of Michigan's traffic laws.
     Although your license doesn't come with you, your traffic record does. The Michigan Secretary of State will request a copy of your driving record from your former state. 

You will be given violation points for offenses you encountered in other areas, as if the problem had occurred in Michigan.
     If your driver's license from another state is expired or has been lost, you must get a letter from that state explaining that your license has not been suspended. In addition, your former license must be destroyed.  Residents are not permitted to have more than one license.

     Requirements and Exceptions

1. You must be 16 years of age to drive in Michigan.
2. You do not need a Michigan license if you are a member of the Armed Forces driving only a U.S. Government vehicle on official business, or by other special circumstances.
3. You do not need a Michigan license if you drive only farm, snow removal, or road equipment on the highway.

     When applying for a Michigan driver's license, be sure to bring along proof of I.D. and your birth date (your license from another state will do).   If this is your first license, bring voter registration, military records, marriage license, school record, insurance papers, etc.

     License plates are issued one time and in each succeeding year a validation sticker is issued.  If you are a new Michigan resident, you must immediately title and register any vehicle you own.  The title or proof of ownership from your previous home state must be handed in with your application.  Applications for plates can be obtained at the Secretary of State's Office.   To receive your plates, you must have proof of "No-Fault" auto insurance.   Your proof of insurance certificate must be kept in your vehicle at all times.

     Owners of passenger cars and trucks must show proof of "No-Fault" auto insurance before attempting to register a vehicle.   Collision and comprehensive insurance are not required by Michigan law.    Michigan's no-fault system provides the broadest benefits of any auto insurance system in the country.  In most cases, you collect from your own insurance company and avoid the stress, uncertainty and expense of a lawsuit.