Renewing Your License: How Long?

[Bill Bumface]

My license expired sometime last week... whoops. Now here is my dilima. I leave for New York next Friday, and I really don't want to be carrying around my passport for ID with me everywhere, especially if I hit the sauce at all, knowing me, I'll end up stuck in the US with no ID to get me back home.

If I went in to renew my license today, how long until I would have it?

Is my best bet to drive with an expired license for a week (and behave myself) and then renew when I get home?

I realize option two sounds pretty stupid, but it beats losing my passport.

[SteveToms]

A week or two.

[You Need a Thneed]

It might get to you by next Friday, but it's risky. I'd call the registry and find our for sure. They might have a solution for you too.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Can you say you lost it, and get a temp one issued so you're in the clear on the expired license, yet still have your old one for NY?

[Superflyer]

My wife did this last month and it took about a week and a half to get it. I think that you can pay a few extra bucks and get it rushed.

[JD]

From what I remember, the penalty for driving with an expired driver's license is not that severe. Less than $50 anyway... I'd take the risk if I were in that dilemma. But I'd double-check the penalty before I make a decision.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Can you say you lost it, and get a temp one issued so you're in the clear on the expired license, yet still have your old one for NY?

That's what I'd do.
I lost my old license about 2 weeks before it expired, and it wasn't a big issue.

However you'll need two pieces of ID like a passport and a bill with your name and address on it.
That way you can keep the old one.

And I'd be willing to bet the expired one would work just fine in NY. Usually they have enought of a hard time finding the DOB let alone the expiration date.

Good luck.

[Clever_Iggy]

I dont know if this is universal and as crazy as it sounds, many bars in California and Arizona do not accept passports as legit forms of ID. It's stupid, I know, but I encountered that numerous times.

The Alberta ID is so confusing that most people just look for the birthdate and dont look for the expiry date. It's a risk, but you might be cutting it close to get it renewed.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

I dont know if this is universal and as crazy as it sounds, many bars in California and Arizona do not accept passports as legit forms of ID. It's stupid, I know, but I encountered that numerous times.

The Alberta ID is so confusing that most people just look for the birthdate and dont look for the expiry date. It's a risk, but you might be cutting it close to get it renewed.

Yeah, california is stupid for that.
I was there after losing my license so all I had was the paper temporary one and my passport, and they were huge jerks about it, and I'm 26 years old, it's not like I'm some "Could be" 21 year old trying to get in.

They claimed it was becasue it didn't have a physical description such as height, weight, eye colour etc, but come one, it's a federally issued form of picture ID that will get me into just about any country in the world, but not some dive in Sacramento, that's BS.

[ken0042]

I went in and got mine on a Monday; it arrived in the mail the next Tuesday.

I was also in a similar situation; so I told them it was lost. A few words of warning:

Do not say it was stolen. You will need a police report. Say you know it's in the house "somewhere."
Be sure not to carry both at the same time. It's a crime to do so.
I also am not sure what good an expired DL will do for you for ID.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Yeah, california is stupid for that.
I was there after losing my license so all I had was the paper temporary one and my passport, and they were huge jerks about it, and I'm 26 years old, it's not like I'm some "Could be" 21 year old trying to get in.

They claimed it was becasue it didn't have a physical description such as height, weight, eye colour etc, but come one, it's a federally issued form of picture ID that will get me into just about any country in the world, but not some dive in Sacramento, that's BS.

I went back to my apartment to get my drivers license as I only had my passport from flying in that day. I asked to see the manager and told him that if this document is good enough for the US government (and all other governments in the world) to let me into the country, you can serve me a drink. He made the argument that the border has the ability to scan my passport for additional information...

Silly rule. I dont know if it applies to other jurisdictions (although I had a problem in a couple bars in Arizona).

[fredr123]

Traffic Safety Act

51 Except as otherwise permitted under this Act, a person shall not do any of the following:
(a) drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person is the holder of a subsisting operator’s licence;
...
(l) possess an operator’s licence that is not a subsisting operator’s licence;
...
(o) use an operator’s licence that is not a subsisting operator’s licence;

Current penalty for 51(a) is a $230 ticket. The penalty for 51(l) and 51(o) is $345.

[Bill Bumface]

Thanks for the advice guys... whoops lost my license around the house somewhere...

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by JD

From what I remember, the penalty for driving with an expired driver's license is not that severe. Less than $50 anyway... I'd take the risk if I were in that dilemma. But I'd double-check the penalty before I make a decision.

I received a $300 or $350 ticket for driving with an expired licence. Not worth it.

[ricosuave]

go RIGHT NOW to a registry and get it done.

I just did this and mine came in 4 working days...

If it matters, it was at the registry on 17th ave and 26th st. se

[MelBridgeman]

7-14 business days is the line i got

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Thanks for the advice guys... whoops lost my license around the house somewhere...

Did you look in your wallet?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

woah woah woah woah woah

it's not done one the spot? You don't get it made and issued in front of you?

We've been doing that in Nova Scotia for over 10 years. The machines to make the licences are right in the Motor Vehicles office. No mailing or anything.

I find it really odd that you renew, and then have to wait.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

woah woah woah woah woah

it's not done one the spot? You don't get it made and issued in front of you?

We've been doing that in Nova Scotia for over 10 years. The machines to make the licences are right in the Motor Vehicles office. No mailing or anything.

I find it really odd that you renew, and then have to wait.

Things were like that here until Alberta came out with their hi-tech licenses a few years ago. I guess they send it off to some secret facility where they laser-etch your information into some blue-tinted space-age polymer and combine it with an undisclosed section of your genome.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

the reverse imaging, multiple holographs, blah blah blah just wasn't good enough eh?