TRANSPORTATION / MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION
Driver License
Newcomers must obtain a Michigan driver license immediately upon establishing state residency. This process can be completed at any Secretary of State branch office. You must meet certain requirements before a Michigan driver license can be issued. Drivers who are age 18 or older must present proof of identity, pass a vision test, meet physical and mental standards, pass a knowledge test, and pass a road test. The latter two tests may be waived for those who hold a valid license from another state. The Secretary of State will contact your previous home state to obtain your driver record, which becomes part of your Michigan driver record.
New residents who are under age 18 must successfully meet the requirements of the Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program before they can be licensed. A parent or legal guardian must accompany the teen to sign the application; and based on the current level of licensing, a road-skill test may be required. Age, license type, and proof of driver education meeting Michigan standards together determine eligibility for a Michigan graduated driver license.
Vehicle Title/License
New Michigan residents must immediately title and register their vehicles at a Secretary of State branch office and turn in the title from their previous home state. If the out-of-state title is being held by a lien holder or leasing company, bring your previous state registration or proof of the out-of-state title along with proof of Michigan no-fault insurance for the vehicle. Michigan will issue a registration-only for the vehicle, which allows the issuing of a license plate without converting the out-of-state title to a Michigan title. Michigan plate fees are based on the vehicle’s manufacturers suggested retail price. Please bring cash, check or money order to the branch office, not a credit card.
Insurance Requirements
Proof of Michigan “no fault” insurance is required to register a motor vehicle, and this proof must be carried in the vehicle or by the driver at all times. No out-of-state policies are acceptable. Collision and comprehensive insurance are not required by Michigan law. The “no fault” system provides valuable benefits. In most cases, those who are involved in an accident collect from their own insurance companies and thus avoid the stress and expense of a lawsuit.
Recreational Vehicle Registration
In addition to motor vehicles, Michigan requires registration for mopeds, watercraft and snowmobiles. The Secretary of State also completes these registrations at branch offices. All watercraft 20 feet and longer and all watercraft with a permanently affixed engine, regardless of length, must be titled.
For complete details or answers to specific questions on driver licenses or vehicle titling and registration in Michigan, contact:
Michigan Secretary of State
517-322-1460
https://www.michigan.gov/sos
On-line Secretary of State Branch Office Locator
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1640_14837-34560–,00.html
Seat Belt Law
Michigan’s standard enforcement safety belt law requires that all front seat passengers be buckled up, all passengers under 16 be buckled up regardless of seating position, and all children under age 4 to be secured in an approved child safety seat. It is also recommended that children who outgrow a child safety seat be properly fitted for a booster seat.
Michigan has upgraded its seat belt law to allow law enforcement agents to ticket motorists for seat belt violations without stopping them first for another infraction. This new “primary seat belt” law applies to drivers carrying children younger than four years of age who are not property restrained in child safety seats. For information Michigan’s child passenger safety law, contact:
Office of Highway Safety Planning
517-332-2521
https://www.michigan.gov/msp/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Auto Safety Hotline
888-327-4236
https://www.nhtsa.gov/
