I thought some of you might appreciate this - BEFORE you try to renew your DL.
In my effort to be efficient, I decided to renew my driver's license even though it's a bit early, because I learned last time if you wait too late, you can't do it online.
So, a couple of weeks ago, I went online to Texas.gov, followed many links and finally got to the "Renew License" link. Yaay. I worked through the various pages and links, provided the all of the obscure information they asked for and hit the "Submit" button. "You are not eligible to renew online."
Oh. I went back to the "Confirm your eligibility" page and it did say that I was eligible to renew online. Emailed the help people. 3 days later they responded and said that since I renewed online last time I had to do it in person this time. I didn't renew online last time, but they didn't bother to respond to that argument.
So, I downloaded and filled out the DL-47 form that I would need to take with me. I downloaded the form DL-57 that they insisted I read and I did. If you have an active DL that's all you need to prove your residency and that's what I needed to prove. I made an appointment online and, DL-47 in hand I drove 50 miles to the big DPS office. (Which I finally found, but that's another story.)
The place was packed, but a very nice lady was triaging the ever enlarging line of people and forms. "What are you here for?" "I'm here to renew my DL, and I made an appointment and here is my completed form." "Let me have your passport or original birth certificate". ....uh, what?
As I was brushed aside, the lady behind me stepped up and got the same surprise information and turned and left. Not happy at all.
So, I finally got a supervisor to talk to. She seemed amazed that I somehow didn't know that I should have brought these items with me. "It's a new law; didn't you see anything on TV?"
Shot almost an entire day.
Got home and was venting about it and it turns out my brother, whose birthday is close to mine just went through the same thing. As did my active-duty-stationed-out-of-state son when he was visiting earlier.
Got up yesterday determined to make them renew my license. Drove to a closer office that is only open four 1/2 days/week. They were there and open. I had my passport, birth certificate and form DL-47 in hand. Take a number. Sat talking to the nice ladies next to me who had taken the morning off to come in and renew. They'd been there a couple of hours. "Did you bring you passport or birth certificate?" "No, why?" When their number was finally called they went into the office and we could all hear the discussion. They will have to come back another day with the proper documentation.
When it was my turn, I went in and talked to the very nice but very harried woman, who it turns out, is the only one in the office. She said, yes, it's a new law, all the DPS offices are backed up with lines out the door, and you should have gotten a letter telling you what to bring. I agreed with her that I should have gotten something to tell me that.
But - I did get my license renewed. It should arrive in the mail sometime in the next few months, and it will have a gold star on it to indicate that I have submitted all of the proper documentation. Not real sure about that gold star stuff.
