bigredforlaw wrote:after hearing it from everyone i have accepted that you pretty much NEED a car in atlanta. i'm from the northeast though, and am wondering what the deal is with registering my car in georgia. do i have to get a new license/forfeit my home state license? and excuse me if this is a dumb question...but does that at all affect where i'm registered to vote? i'm also trying to decide whether i should drive my car 16+ hrs down to atlanta, or to just buy another one there then sell it after 3 years, or to lease...but regardless of what i end up doing i think for car insurance purposes i'll need to register in georgia, right? lastly, i'm looking at clairmont reserve and it seems like a safe area, but should i be worried about car break-ins in atlanta (like when i'm parked somewhere other than my apt complex)?
First of all, this is not legal advice, unless you want to send me some money first.
Georgia law generally requires that you obtain a Georgia Driver's License within 30 days of becoming a resident. That being said, if you are here just to go to school and not live here permanently, I don't think a ticket for not getting a new driver's license would hold up. Basically (and you'll learn this in Civ Pro) you are a resident of the state that you intend to be a resident of for most purposes. So, you don't need to re-register to vote, you don't need to get a new license, you may or may not need to update your insurance (call your agent).
That being said, if you decide to stay, don't forget to go get a new license ASAP.
