Drivers License reciprocity

salzo

Does anyone know why it is "legal" for me to drive in a state other than the state that I have a drivers license from?
Is ther a reciprocity among the states that makes my license valid in another state? Or is there some type of federal law that makes my state drivers license good in all of the states?
I am just wondering, if, for example, a state can prevent someone from driving in their state if they do not have a valid drivers license from that state. Or is there some federal law that prevents a state from not recognizing the validity of a drivers license from another state.

"The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
-James Madison

n/a

All states recognize all the the other states, It would be impossible for a person to maintain a liscense from all the states, also all states have common laws as to driving, CANADA also recognizes all US states , Just think of all the termoil it would cause if they didnt recognizes other states liscenses, IE marriage, driving, intera state business, and on and on.

LR

salzo

Classic95- ... But is it the "states" that recognize the other states, or is there a federal law that forces them to do so.

"The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
-James Madison

mudge

Yes....there is a Federal statute that forces the reciprocity privilege. It's been so long since the statute was explained to me that I don't remember where it is, but I do know it exists.
When you get to be my age, your memory is the second thing to go.
(Don't ask!!!)

Mudge the geezer

I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!

Iconoclast

Salzo, it's part of the Constitution. Forgotten which provision now; it's right on the cusp of my consciousness, but can't pull it up. Someone in practice or currently in law school could, I'm sure, give you the exact cite.

Warpig883

Yes their is a part of the US Constitution that says states have to honor the laws of the other states, but I will be danged if I can find it today.

Here is a link to the US Constitution

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.table.html#articlev

Gordian Blade

Article IV, Sections 1 and 2.

Warpig883

Yep, i knowed it be there somewheres


Article IV

Section 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.


Section 2. The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states.

salzo

That article 4 section 2 always puzzles me-I am really not sure what it means.
In the pre 14th amendment constitution, section 2 continues: "No person held to service or labor in one state, under the laws thereof,escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein,be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due"
Kind of odd talking about "privelages and immunities" enjoyed by the citizens of a state in one breath, and then talking about returning a slave to its owner in another.
I know Lincoln used that "privelages and immunities" clause quite a bit to lay claim that slavery was unconstitutional, but he ignored the rest of article 4 section 2, which guarantees the constitutionality of slavery....welll didnt mean for the topic to turn this way.

"The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
-James Madison

Gordian Blade

We sure veered into another north-south tangle on this one, didn't we? As much as I hate the idea of slavery, there is no doubt that the founders thought it was allowed under the Constitution, otherwise the slave states would never have ratified it.

My reading of the Constitution is that concealed carry permits should be subject to reciprocity (and in fact a lot of states do have that, but not all), but then I'm a physicist not a lawyer; I expect rules to be clear-cut.

Iconoclast

Gordian, thought advanced physics dealt with Heisenberg & theory stuff more than F=ma these days? Don't mind me . . . my physics doesn't extend much beyond that level & it was studied *long* ago.

Gordian Blade

Hi Iconoclast,

The rules of physics are actually rather simple, even the basic rules (or equations) of quantum mechanics, but that doesn't mean it's easy to figure out how they work in complex systems. Heck, we still don't have an exact solution for Newtonian motion in a three-body system with gravity, like earth+moon+sun, even though we've had the rather simple equations for over 300 years. (F = ma for each body, with F being the gravitational force from the other two.) It's kind of like the rules of chess or go being simple, but the implications are complex.

salzo

Gordian- I think that "solution for Newtonian motion in a 3 body system(gosh, I get dizzy just typing it)", can be found in article 3 of the constitution. I saw it there last time I checked.

"The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
-James Madison

Alpine

To get back on point:
I had an attorney explain that article 4 section 1 & 2 don't apply to CCW because of the fragmented and varing requirements to obtain them.

They do pertain to drivers licenses because of interstate commerce.

Untill someone really qualified to answer this question comes along that will have to do.

"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."

barto

as a side note i was talking to a friend from port angeles, wa. yesterday & he said the canadians are turning back people on the ferry to vancouver island if they have a duii felony conviction.
evidently our data base is open to them (or at least part of it).
i have to wonder if mexico has the same entry permission from our government.
barto

the hard stuff we do right away - the impossible takes a little longer

gunpaq

A friend of mine was turn away from thew Canadian border when going up for bear because of a PFA his psycho wife filed against him when she filed for divorce. Ruined his bear hunting trip as he was not aware at the time that the psycho had filed against him. For the record he is not a stalker or wife beater as the PFA is being used as an instrument to keep him off his property while the psycho wife cleans the place out. The border people referenced his PA drivers license for his record.

Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.

mudge

The CCW reciprocity problem, at least the way it was explained to me, is that the CCW is issued by the county in which you reside and is honored throughout the state. Your state must then enter into an agreement with the another state to have a CCW that is "honored" in state #1 to be "honored" in state #2. A county (ie. the issuing authority) cannot enter into such an agreement with another state.
Your driver's license is issued by the state and thereby falls under the quoted section(s) of the Constitution.
The person that 'splained that to me is a Sheriff and not a lawyer so take that for what it's worth.

Mudge the helpful

I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!