Yesterday, I went and stood in the long line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (Missouri) for over an hour (not as bad as I thought it would be). Naturally they only allow a limited number of people in (face mask required). I needed to renew my driver’s license. A couple of weeks ago I had renewed my vehicle plates (line wasn’t as long then but we are approaching the end of the month). To my surprise……………

When I was finally seated for renewing my license, I handed the clerk all the appropriate documents required that would allow me to receive the REAL ID compliant license, which is the “Enhanced Driver’s License” that will “allow” me to board planes for domestic travel. I have no problem with providing all this proof that I am an American citizen. One of the documents I provided was my birth certificate, another was my personal property tax (payment) receipt, another a copy of my auto insurance. With all that, the clerk still asked me if I had my Social Security card with me. I did and he made a copy of it. In Missouri it would seem it would be difficult for an illegal immigrant to get a driver’s license being they are undocumented, unless of course they try providing docs that are fraudulent.

What really was surprising to me about renewing my license was ………. we didn’t have to take the eye exam or road sign recognition test. Years past we always had to. In fact 6 years ago my license was renewed with a class A restriction (corrective vision required/glasses or contacts). I am sure the reason for this is COVID-19. They don’t want everyone sticking their heads up against the vision testing machine, which includes the road rec test. You’d think they would be a bit more creative…….they could test your vision with the wall chart….. which could also include the road signs. What they did was renewed my license with the class A restriction extended. I had no problem with that, I would have probably needed the glasses to pass the test anyway.

So watch out folks I am a driver for another 6 years at least.

I will say, the DMV here did a good job processing people with these long lines and they moved pretty well to my surprise. That said, these people operating the DMV are not state employees……the DMV here is a private company contracted out, for issuing plates, renewing plates and driver’s licensing. The actual road driving test and written driving test are however processed by “state employees”, they are wearing state uniforms.

Yesterday was not a bad experience………..

Now I am off to go by a new driver (golf club that is)! 🙂