Driver License Renewal and Possible Delays & Deadline Discussion

Driving/Drivers
1

New Driver Licenses require a decision to be made. Some states offer 3 varieties and depending on one’s travel choices, could have a deadline of October 1, 2020.

Regular old (Standard I.D.) Driver License if you don’t intend to fly, enter certain federal facilities, military bases, or nuclear power plants. No special documentation is required for this one.

Real I.D. compliant Driver License if you might fly domestically, without a passport or go into those areas listed in paragraph above.

Enhanced Driver License (includes Real I.D.) (additional fee) if you plan to also cross borders into the U.S. (like from Canada & Mexico ). "Enhanced drivers licenses make it easier for U.S. citizens to cross the border into the United States because they include
•a vicinity Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip that will signal a secure system to pull up your biographic and biometric data for the CBP officer as you approach the border inspection booth, and
•a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) or barcode that the CBP officer can read electronically if RFID isn’t available."

Since my driver license was going to expire in a couple of months, and I was going to be residing in another state, I thought I’d renew it early and cross it off my To Do list.

I stopped by my Secretary of State office and inquired about the new Real I.D. compliant and Enhanced license. I opted for the Enhanced license and I was told to just bring in my birth certificate and I’d be all set.

I showed up with the only birth document I’ve ever had, a Certificate of Birth from the hospital in my place of birth. It was not accepted. I was informed that I needed an official embossed certificate from my birth place. They were kind enough to give me an order form, specific to my county/state of birth.

I thought to myself “like they’re going to have a record from 7 decades ago,” ha, ha…
I phoned them and they had it! A copy was to cost $24, but a senior citizen’s copy was $2! Feel the magic! Only a money order would do, no checks, no cash, no credit card. I complied and mailed it. I promptly got the document and took it to the Secretary of State (DMV or Tax Collector in some states) and then promptly got the enhanced license in the mail.

I suggest to start working on this early if you need other than a regular old license (offered in some states). Some states aren’t even set up to issue Real I.D. yet. Offices will get more and more crowded. TSA is worried that October first will see lots of stranded passengers.

I’m starting this discussion as a reminder. Some of the information I’ve provided could be wrong. I’m open to corrections. Check out the license information for your particular state.
CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

3 Likes
2

I knew about the real I’d but not the enhanced, good info. I’m doing mine soon as I will be flying to my daughter’s next summer.

Something to add, the airlines will require the real I’d Oct 1st 2020, however if you have a passport it can be used at the airport just like the real ID (there are also other documents they will accept) I believe my state is no longer giving our the regular ID just go straight to real ID.

3

In WI I had to bring my passport to get the star version. " A STAR in the upper right corner of the card indicates that the card is compliant with Federal REAL ID Act requirements." I got a regular drivers license, then upgraded a few weeks later as I was misinformed that all I needed was my birth certificate. They hole punched my previous licence with the word void, and gave it back to me. 2018

4

I have both the star :star: for “Real I.D.” and an American flag :us: for “enhanced.” It came with a special paper sleeve to keep it in so bad guys can’t read it electronically.

CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

5

I do not think WI offers the advanced version.

6

I believe the enhanced driver’s license is available in only a few states along the Canadian border.

7

We have the real ID here in Georgia dont know at the enhanced.

8

“Some states, including Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington State are currently issuing enhanced drivers licenses. These are a form of REAL ID. They additionally allow land and sea border crossings to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Enhanced IDs aren’t a substitute for passports for air travel to these places.”

I don’t know if other states have joined this list or have plans to do so. Perhaps people could let us know.
CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

9

You forgot proof of address. This can be your W2 or an official third party document like a water bill or bank statement with your name and address on it.

1 Like
10

When I got my Florida license with a star 6 years ago I had to bring birth certificate, passport, and 2 bills showing my FL address. Everything but a blood sample.

11

Military ID, active duty, retired, dependent are acceptable by TSA if you don’t have the Real ID drivers license.

12

I didn’t have a separate proof of address when I applied for my enhanced license. However, since I was renewing my soon to expire (within 3 months) I presented that license. Perhaps that was my proof?

Actually, once I obtained an officially certified, embossed birth certificate from my County/State of birth, it was as simple as offering my license (which was marked VOID), handing over some money, getting a photo taken, and leaving with the voided license and a temporary paper license.

You should have seen the fun I had with TSA at the Sarasota airport when I gave them my voided license for I.D. Then I flunked the screening because I forgot I had a 1/2 liter of protein nut milk in a carry-on after I told them I had no liquids. Oops! I have never passed TSA on my first try. I’m not complaining… I like them being very fussy as long as my highly opinionated wife, bless her heart, doesn’t get in their face, again.
CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

13

Good catch!

"When do I need to get a REAL ID?

Beginning October 1, 2020, you will need have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of ID, such as a valid passport or U.S. military ID, to fly within the U.S."

CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

14

Yeah a hospital certificate is not a real “certificate of live birth”. They are stored on paper and go back to the 1800’s. They also have the sealed adoption records in the same vault along with all the “certificate of death”. The Mormons are very concerned about heritage and have gone state to state putting records on microfilm for nothing as long as they could keep a copy for their archives. People like to game the system by applying for a birth certificate after gathering the information from a cemetery-to establish a new identity. Smart folks though cross reference the death certificates with the birth certificates, take their money and give them a nice embossed document with “deceased” stamped on it. Kind of like having a worthless salvage title.

But yeah, after looking at the cost and everything they wanted to prove I’m who I am and live where I live I decided to just use my passport for a while.

15

Being a Minnesotan, you are fortunate that an “enhanced License” is an option. Once I got over checking with the licensing folks ahead of time and then showing up and being shut down, it really wasn’t bad.

Kudos to the wonderful folks in my birth county who answered my call promptly, sold me a “senior citizen” (I’m coming Elizabeth!) birth certificate for 2 bucks, and got it back to me pronto.

It’s not really like me to do this so early and I tried to think of excuses to put it off, but didn’t have any that weren’t in use, but I can’t wait to hit TSA now! It is nice having the Real I.D. and passport ability of the enhanced license.

I just hope I can keep my wife, bless her heart, from over-reacting to being rejected by a keychain knife/fingernail cleaner with a 1" blade and some kind of goofy bottle of cosmetics liquid or some other damn thing. I had to talk her down and we had the contraband UPS’d home and finally boarded with the normal people, the one’s who kept staring…
CSA
:palm_tree::sunglasses::palm_tree:

16

A story: I was trying to remember where but then remembered it was the LA Airport. In MPLS at the AIRPORT after SECURITY my wife bought one of these cake server knives whatever they are called-shaped like a high heel shoe and the heal is magnetic so you take it off to serve cake. She really liked it and think it was $10. Coming back through LA, she has it in her purse and security grabs it. She could keep the heel but not the cake server part. We said we bought it at the airport and flew with it to LA but no dice. It was either in the trash can or we could put it in checked baggage by starting all over again at the back of a block long line. I said keep the #^%#@ thing if it’s so dangerous. We’ll buy another one at the MPLS airport when we get there. TSA but I think he just wanted it himself so we kept the magnetic heel. Sheesh what a jerk.

Almost as bad as in Amsterdam where they found my tire pressure gauge in my duffel. Guy didn’t know what it was and even Xrayed it for a possible bomb. Searched everything and my pockets and took my two Coke bottles that were still sealed that I bought after security for the 8 hour flight home. I guess it was because of my sun tan or something so I looked a little darker than in the winter, and to top it off we were with a church tour group. I was a big threat.

Reasonable people dealing with reasonable people.

17

That’s an advantage of being born I never a county with a population of 140. :wink:

18

You can do the Drivers’ License dance, or you can get a passport that lasts 10 years. It’s an additional cost, of course, but with it you can also go lots of other places.

19

For my regular Oregon license renewal 4 years ago I received the usual notice 30 days prior by mail. It had always been pass a vision test, pose for a new photo, pay the ever increasing fee, surrender my current license, and receive the new one. The notice informed me I would need a non-laminated birth certificate or valid passport. Since I had the passport I didn’t retrieve my paper birth certificate from the bank security box. I did take my state issued laminated birth certificate and asked the DMV clerk why that was not acceptable? She replied "Oh! that was a mistake in the notice. It has since been corrected. I was not surprised by state bureaucracy incompetence. I was surprised by the quality and perfect condition of my laminated birth certificate card issued in July 1952! I think I will just renew my passport next month in case I want to flee to a foreign country with more personal freedom. I’m kidding the USA is still the best but getting worse. The only driving I did while deployed were HUMVEES in Bosnia and a Ford van in Croatia (car related). My first visit to our sister hospital at Tazar Air Force Base in Hungary aboard a US army UH-60 helicopter. We were met by a customs agent only asking if we had anything to declare. NO! I asked if he could stamp my passport. He answered “Of course”. My favorite passport stamp “Magyar” The actual name of Hungary. He was amazed that I knew that. I read a lot.

1 Like
20

I always have my driver’s license with me, but I don’t always have my passport. Also, my enhanced driver’s license is a good backup in case my passport ever gets stolen in Canada (although I now have a NEXUS card as well, so I’m really covered on that).