I recently moved to texas, I headed over to the DPS or whatever they call it here in texas to transfer my license only to find out I had to register my car first? So I did all that and then returned to finally renew my license. This time they said they needed proof of liability on my texas registered car. (To get my car registered I only needed my insurance card, the DPS however, wanted policy documents to show liability since there are minimum requirements) And I did not have that on hand at the time.
Getting tired and frustrated with the whole process, I slacked off for a couple of weeks before finding the energy to do it all again with all the requirements in hand except for one thing… During those few days I lost my old license (from Utah…) There hasn’t been any rocks unturned, so finding it isnt an option it appears…
In Texas (and I am sure its the same in most states) they require that you forfeit your old license on the spot in order to get a new Texas one. (I have read online that without it, they have no proof that you are a licensed driver and will make you start from scratch, However, I have also read that its not that difficult…) Anyway, I checked online and according to the Utah DMV, they only issue replacement’s in person (Some states let you replace your license online.)
My question is, how absolutely necessary is it to have your license? If I tell them I lost it, will they be able to look up my records or anything and confirm or will they make me do the whole process of driving and written tests…? I have a legible printed copy of my old license (the one I lost.) Would that be enough to show them here in Texas and get my new license?
Also, I will be heading up to Utah in a month would it be worth it to wait until then and get a replacement there, and then transfer it here in Texas? I just really don’t want to take those dreadful tests if I don’t have to. If anyone has any insight, it’d be greatly appreciated.
Well, all I can offer is a bit of experience that I had in California many years ago. Possibly something like this could happen in Texas. Maybe.
Go to the DPS or DMV or whatever it’s called and ask to talk to the supervisor or whatever they call the honchos there. If you tell him your sad story, maybe he can overlook the rules a little bit.
I’ve had that happen to me in Ca a few times over the years. Once I lost my wallet (with my license), and it was just a week or so before that license expired. I can’t renew my license without having the old license in hand. And I can’t get a duplicate of the old license in time before it expires (because it takes about three weeks for that to happen). They will give a temporary license to carry around in the meantime, but you can’t use that to renew. And there is no “grace period”. On the day your license expires, it expires.
So it seemed that there was only one way: Get a new license from scratch, with the drivers test and the whole works. Except the local office supervisor just went and put through my license renewal anyway.
So maybe there’s hope. Maybe a supervisor in Texas has enough authority to do something like that. Or maybe a supervisor knows that nobody will ever notice anyway. It may all simply depend on if the supervisor is a sensible dude or an asshole. (What percentage of Texan bureaucrats are assholes anyway?)
Texas Resident (naturalized).
You will need either a valid license from another state, or you will have to take both the written test and driving test. If remember correctly, you will have to take the written test in either case (I did mumble-mumble years ago when I moved here). The written test is tricky (it seems it is written by someone who is trying to make the test taker fail, with a lot of interestingly worded questions–a school zone speed limit sign means the posted limit can only be exceeded when students are not present (T) (F). The correct answer is false.). The driving test is nearly impossible to schedule, depending on where you live. In a big city like Houston, they book up months in advance, you have to provide your own car, and you have to have someone else drive it (you don’t have a license, remember. Automatic fail).
So, get your replacement license. Do it as soon as possible. Get your Texas License. If you are ever asked by a LEO if the address on your license is correct, the only safe answer is “yes”. If you say no, you will have to prove you have been here less than 3 months.
If you live in a small county, 100 miles away from Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, or El Paso, it isn’t as bad, but in the big cities, you don’t want to try and get a DL from scratch.
excavating (for a mind)
according to the texas licensing website, the written test is only require to take in either case, only if you are under 25… anyone 25 and older does not need to re-take the written test.
I think the easiest solution would be to wait till next month when I can get a replacement utah license since I will be up there (I still get mail to my parents home in utah so I will have “proof” of residency to be able to get a replacement there… I’ll come back and get it all taken care of… hopefully I don’t get pulled over within the next month, luckily I don’t need to drive around much since I work from home.
I live way down south in Mcallen, so it’s no houston or dallas, either way… I don’t want to take those idiotic tests…
Thanks for the help.