In Missouri, driver's licenses and vehicle registration are handled by the Department of Revenue at local license offices. Once you establish residency you have 30 days to get a Missouri license and to title and register a vehicle, so it's worth sorting early. Requirements differ by immigration status, so confirm the current list before you go.
- Bring documents proving your identity and date of birth, your Social Security number (or proof you're not eligible for one), your lawful immigration status, and a Missouri residential address. If you're still gathering status documents, Missouri offers a one-year license that gives you time to complete them.
- A foreign license (including an Iranian one) doesn't transfer directly. You can usually drive on it for a short period right after arriving — an International Driving Permit, arranged before you leave, helps as an official translation — but as a resident you'll apply as a first-time Missouri driver and take the knowledge, road-sign, vision, and road (driving) tests. (Only a current license from another U.S. state lets you skip the written and driving tests.)
- Car insurance is required before you register or drive. Missouri's minimum liability coverage is 25/50/25 and you must carry proof at all times — arrange a policy before you buy a car.
- When buying a car, budget beyond the price for the title fee, plates and registration, state and local sales tax, and inspection costs.
- In the St. Louis area (the city plus St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson counties), most vehicles need an emissions test through the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program along with a state safety inspection — though newer, lower-mileage cars are often exempt from one or both, and many stations do both in one visit.