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Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Renewing Texas drivers licenses online
In consulting the Texas Department of Public Safety's website to find out the location of the nearest drivers license renewal office, I learned today that I, and many other Texans, are able to renew our drivers licenses entirely over the internet, paying by credit card and promising (via an online click) that we haven't incurred some new visual or other disability.
Being spared the inconvenience and indignity of appearing in person to renew my slightly-expired drivers license before embarking upon my annual year-end driving trek to the Panhandle was thus, to me, an unexpected Christmas present.
Thank you, Texas!
(In due course, during the new year, I'll probably ponder, and then grumble over, the marginally increased likelihood of unfit drivers who'd have flunked the in-person eye-test and stopped driving as a result — in particular if one such collides with my car. But having been spared today something I'd been dreading, I'm willing to let the gift horse's teeth go unchecked for the rest of 2008.)
Posted by Beldar at 04:50 PM in Law (2008), Web/Tech | Permalink
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Comments
(1) Rick Caird made the following comment | Dec 23, 2008 6:29:46 PM | Permalink
I no longer live in Texas, but I remember my first year there. That was 1977. All the tags for the whole state expired on the same day. I went up to the office in Farmer's Branch and the line was out the building, around the parking lot and half way around the building again. Nasty.
Rick
(2) rls made the following comment | Dec 24, 2008 10:17:51 AM | Permalink
Missouri has taken the lead in combating illegal immigration by requiring driver license renewals prove via either birth certificate or passport that you are either a citizen or legal alien.
Started this two years ago and it will eventually have an effect on illegal aliens residing in MO. You have to have a license to get auto insurance and you have to have insurance to get license plates.
I still had to do the eye test by the way.
(3) Karl Lembke made the following comment | Dec 26, 2008 11:06:20 PM | Permalink
Maybe being able to see the computer screen means your vision is good enough by Texas standards.
I haven't had to actually go in to the California DMV more than two or three times in the past four decades to renew my license. I suspect when I get old enough, the DMV will want me to show up for a vision test -- or maybe submit proof from an optometrist that I can still see.
Most of the time, I can renew my car registration online, too -- just need to get a smog check every other year. Still very convenient.
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