PA is Driver’s License. I never knew that anybody (or any non-human entity like a state government) called it anything different.
Just to throw a wrench in this - I got a new Illinois license in 2005. It says “Drivers License.” No apostrophe visible - it does appear like there is a tiny bit bigger space between the “r” and “s” than there should be, but the words are in all-caps, white text on a dark blue background, and I do not see an apostrophe.
CA also calls it a Driver License.
So really, why not a “Driver’s License” or even a “Driving License?”
Illinois wins the boobie prize - how many drivers are licensed with that one card?
‘Driver License’ does sound funny, but it makes sense. Your ‘driver license’ is the license which permits you to be a driver. Any license in the possession of someone who drives could technically be called a ‘driver’s license’, even if it is not a license to drive.
Looks like they’ve cleaned up their act - I remembered my husband’s more recent license renewal looked different, and their web page says it’s now a “driver’s license.” A PDF link at the top of that page shows mock versions that have that printing as well.
FWIW, my official document issued by the Province of Alberta is an Operator’s License
Louisiana used to use “Operator’s License” but now I see mine is a “Personal Driver**'s** License”.
Minnesota’s used to say “driver license” as well, but they cleaned up their act when they redesigned it. Perhaps people complained?
A couple more data points - my UK one says “Driving Licence” and my Texas one says “Driver License”. Note the different spelling of Licence.
In the U.S., the correct spelling is License. In the UK and possibly Canada, it’s Licence (probably wherever “colour” and “centre” is used).
Because they’re illiterate. Here in Massachusetts we have a couple of “public safety” phrases that appear along highways all over. One of them is:
and another one is
They make my head hurt.
ratatoskK,
That’s nothing! Back in 2002 or 2003, Monterey Peninsula College put up one of those portable scrolling signs to announce the registration dates for the upcoming term. The word college was misspelled on the sign. Yep, it was an announcement for Monterey Peninsula Collage.
Back to the topic: Almost everyone I know back in California refers to the Driver License as Driver’s License. My California Driver License is still valid; however, I had to surrender it to the Driver Licensing Bureau here in Busan to get a Korean Driver’s License.
I’m sure the poster above is 100% correct on what the term appearing on the document itself is. Nothing should be there other than what’s provided for by the legislation applying to it. For example, my Korean license has the title of the document in Korean and also the words Driver’s License in English immediately beneath the Korean title. The reason the English words are there is because the Road Traffic Act requires that.
Why?
There’s some treaty between the US and the ROK that permits a US citizen to obtain a KDL without taking a road test provided said citizen surrenders the license from the US. The Driver Licensing Bureau will return it when I surrender my KDL before departing Korea permanently.
In South Carolina, it is a Driver’s License.
Interestingly, the California Vehicle Code (§12500) states you need a valid “driver’s license” to operate a motor vehicle in that state. If the DMV is still issuing a Driver License (and it appears they are), then they are not conforming to the usage of the enabling statute.