ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Driver Services has reached a settlement agreement in a lawsuit that alleged Georgia treated Puerto Ricans differently from other U.S. citizen applicants when they sought to exchange a license. 

The settlement agreement signed Jan. 31 says applicants from U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, don't have to complete a driving or written test to transfer a valid license if they are at least 18 and meet Georgia residency and proof of identity requirements. 

The lawsuit was filed by Kenneth Caban Gonzalez, who was accused of providing false documents and arrested when he applied for a license in 2017.

DDS Commissioner Spencer R. Moore commented: “The top priority at DDS is to provide efficient customer service while following all Georgia and Federal rules and requirements. We welcome instances like this where opportunities for improvement can be made after additional assessment of existing law. I appreciate the hard work and counsel of the Attorney General’s office in assuring that all changes DDS makes follows the law.”