I have to go in person to renew my license. I don't remember having to take a passport or anything else with me, but apparently there are some new requirements. Has anyone renewed their license and what did they have to take with them? Anyone have a recommended DPS office?
Probably just your SS card. To be safe, I'd just bring every form of identification you can get on you. It sucks having to wait 2 hours, get to the clerk, then be told you have to go home to bring something else.
Oh yeah, and maybe birth certificate. Basically any government ID. Why do you have to do it in person? I renewed online for my first post-21 ID, even though I look different and got taller. Wasn't worth it to me to stand in line for 2 hours just for a new picture.
Don't forget your birth certificate. I waited a good while, took the eye exam and filled everything out only to be told I needed a birth certificate. Lucky for me the lady who waited on me let me skip everyone in line when I went back.
The one by Cy-Creek isn't too bad. But, really they all kind of suck. It won't let you renew it online?
http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/renew-license.php In-Person Texas Renewal You must renew your Texas drivers license in person if you are not eligible to renew online, by phone, or by mail. You have to renew in person if you are: 79 years old or older. A non-U.S. citizen living in Texas temporarily. Renewing a provisional driver’s license. Under 18 years old. Visit your local Texas DPS office in person. You’ll need to: Complete an Application For Renewal/Replacement/Change Of A Texas Driver License or Identification Card (Form DL-43). Bring your current driver’s license. Have your photo taken. Pay the renewal fee. (See the “Fees to Renew Your TX Driver’s License”.) You may also need to: Pass a vision exam. Pass a driving test, if your medical evaluation determines you may not be able to drive. Verify your identity by providing either: 1 primary document, such as your: TX driver’s license. Current U.S. passport. U.S. citizenship certificate. 2 secondary documents, such as your: Birth certificate (original or certified copy). Court order that includes your name and birth date. OR 1 secondary document AND 2 supporting documents, such as your: Social Security card. W-2 form. Out-of-state driver’s license or ID. Provide additional documents if you are a non-U.S. citizen or minor. See below for more information. For more information, please see the complete list of accepted documents. List of accepted documents. http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/internetforms/Forms/DL-57.pdf
That is the problem their own documentation is unclear. You apparently need your birth certificate or passport to prove you are legally allowed to live here, but based on that document all you need is your old license. I tried calling dps, but I just get a busy signal.
I had this same issue a month ago. I drove all the way out to League City to avoid waiting in lines at the local DPS. I forgot my SS card. The guy laughed when I expressed my concern and said that they don't require it. All I needed was my (expired) old license.
My 92 year old Mom got her license renewed without even an eye test. Yes she drives..like a bat out of hell so watch out.
When I renewed my CDL all I needed was my old drivers license and medical card. I had to fill out several forms and take a eye test. A official birth certificate not a copy, pass port, report card, ect... are for first timers.
Before going you'll want to just re-check the DPS site to make sure you can't do it online. Otherwise, you might want to bring both SSN and Birth Certificate/Passport. You'll also want to bring along your registration and a utility bill to document a matching address. Furthermore, if one of the clerks steps away from their station to offer to verify your documents, politely decline; their only objective is to eliminate people ahead of time to shorten the line. I don't know if there are any places to recommend for short lines, the stations in nearby smaller or suburban towns close doors to new arrivals early now just to hedge against overflow from out-of-towners.
last time i went i was told i was missing something. i asked them if they were sure because that sounded ridiculous, so i left and came back the next day. i showed the clerk what the last person told me i needed and they said i didn't need it. i was beyond pissed. **** the dmv/dps
My advice is go there about 10 minutes before they close. Usually everyone has cleared out by then. Ive done it twice and never had to wait.
Nowadays, you can reserve a spot in line online and get updates of your place in line on your phone. You can drive up to the DMV when your spot is close to the front. I went down to the Rosenberg DPS because I wanted to try out Bob's Taco Station. There were hardly any people there, so when I first reserved my spot I made it to the front of the line in a few minutes before I had even left the house. I ended up "stepping out of the line" and going to eat first, reserved my spot while waiting for the check, and drove down the street to the DPS and walked right in and to the desk I needed to go to. Painless.
Sounds crazy, but go to the one in Hempstead. Yeah its a 45 min drive from Houston, but there is never a wait. Odds are you will wait at least an hour at most DMV offices in Houston.
I've gone to the DMV here in Dallas to renew my license. The first time I went, I think everybody got there early to try and beat everyone else and get out earlier. All they ended up doing was waiting outside for about 30 minutes until they opened, then there was a mad rush. About 30 minutes after they opened, there was not much of a line at the location I went to. I also just went to a different location here in the DFW area to get a copy of my drivers license. I went in around 1:05 PM and got a number. I was #22 and they were on #1 when I walked in. I had to wait about 15-20 minutes for my turn and they got me my title in about 3 minutes. I was done within 25 minutes. I must be lucky because the 3 times I remember having gone to the DMV, I haven't had to wait more than 20-30 minutes at any of the 3 locations I've been to.
The SuperMart or whatever they call it in Rosenberg had me in and out in 8 minutes (I had the form preprinted and filled out). Just needed the form and my old drivers license, got there a few minutes before they opened. They had about 40 stalls of folks to process people.
I went a couple of weeks ago in the early morning. 16 minutes from the time I stepped out of the car to the time I got back in it.
