I don’t know anyone who likes the Department Of Motor Vehicles in any state. The DMV seems to represent all we hate in bureaucracy. Surely there’s got to be a better way? Here’s a short tale of the absurdity of replacing my driver’s license.
I’ve misplaced my wallet. Maybe I’ve actually lost it, but having looked everywhere, I’ve concluded it’s not turning up soon. That means canceling credit cards and getting a replacement driver’s license. That especially sucks since I was just issued a brand new one allowing me to ride motorcycles in addition to cars.
I headed over to the California DMV site to look up what’s required for a replacement card. The instructions are all here, and they start out:
To apply for a duplicate license or ID card, you will need to:
* Make an Appointment(s) to visit a DMV office
Those instructions are a big fail from the very beginning. Why? To drive, you have to have a license on you. It’s legally required. So make an appointment? Sure, I did that. On February 20th — over a month from now — I can go into my local office to be processed.
I can’t wait that long. Who on earth does the DMV think can wait that long for a replacement drivers licenses? I’m going to have to go into the office as soon as possible and wait in line without an appointment.
That’s fine. I’m not complaining about having to wait. I lost my wallet. The state’s under no obligation to shoot me to the front of the line for my own ineptness. But let’s provide instructions that make sense. Say something like, “If you need to drive immediately, you’ll need to visit an office as soon as possible.” There’s nothing like this.
Next, the instructions say:
Complete a Driver License or Identification Card Application form DL 44 or DL 44C. Pay the application fee Give a thumb print Have your picture taken
OK, the first item, no problem. On the second, in cash-strapped California, here’s an opportunity. Charge me an express processing fee! Really soak me to get my license processed faster and use that extra money to speed the process up for everyone. Missed opportunity.
The next two have me scratching my head. The DMV just sent me a license literally two weeks ago. Fresh picture. Same thumbprint as they already had on file. Why are they doing this again?
Further down, the instructions say:
To ensure your identity is secure, the DMV will validate your photograph, social security number, and your personal information.
Say what? What do they have to validate? I’m asking for a duplicate license to be sent to the current address they have on file for me. I look like the picture that will be on the replacement license. I have the same thumbprint. In the past, when I’ve renewed my license online, they’ve sent me a new one. How on earth is this protecting my identity?
It feel like it’s a handy way for the DMV simply to keep itself busy. Well, there’s plenty enough that it has to do. Couldn’t this be made easier?
Even further down, there’s this:
You will be issued an interim license valid for 60 days and/or a receipt for your ID card until you receive your new photo license and/or photo ID card in the mail. Check your address before you leave DMV and tell the DMV representative if your address is incorrect.
If you’ve never seen one of these, it’s just a piece of paper that says you can drive, no picture, no thumbprint, etc. So here’s another thought. Since appointments take over a month now, why not let people order interim licenses online? You can’t use them for identification. But they do serve to allow you to drive legally until you wait for an appointment to go in.
Anyway, off to the DMV next week 
Postscript (Jan. 19, 2011): See California DMV Struggling To Issue Driver’s Licenses, which includes a number to call, if you’re still waiting.
{ 99 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, you don’t really need an appointment if you don’t mind waiting around for half a day.
Funny, they didn’t take my pic when I went the other day, just my money. Why they can’t issue a paper (interim) license with my pic on it makes no sense to me at all.
I am sup[pose to start a new job on Monday and I have no I.D.
Here’s my nightmare. I renewed my license online in late February/early March and it still hasn’t shown up! There’s no way to track the ETA through the DMV’s website either. So today I was scheduled to take my licensing exam with the department of insurance in Sacramento but I was sternly turned away because my driver’s license had expired late last week. I hadn’t even noticed. They wouldn’t accept my SS card or any other form of picture ID. But here’s the funny part. I’ve got a domestic flight on Sunday so naturally I called the airline concerned that I’d even be able to board. Apparently NTSB/Homeland Security is fine with an expired picture ID as long as you can produce another form of picture ID or a SS card. So in the end, even in this post 9/11 world we live in, you need less ID to board a plane than the state of California requires for a property & casualty insurance license. Simply awesome.
I have a question – I lost my California driver’s license but am on the east coast for the next several months, and I need to drive. Does this mean I literally have to fly back to California just to get a replacement license? There is no way to order one online?!
I say, keep driving responsibly and within the speed limit and if you are stopped, pretend to look for your license and then tell the officer that you must have misplaced it, but then give the officer your license number instead and he can look you up, to see if you in fact have a license on file! After the Officer verifies that you, in fact, have a license on file he will give you a fix-it Ticket and let you go on your way. Then fix-it as soon as you can!
I’m so glad someone finally touched on this. Here’s the ridiculousness I personally experienced. After losing my california license somewhere in Afghanistan while fighting a war last year (whoopsie.. but don’t worry, I doubt any terrorists are able to use my license to sneak into the US, since I’m a very short white female with very unterrorist-like features), I called for a replacement from the state I was currently stationed at – Texas. You know what they sent me? A paper license. There’s no picture on it and thus it cannot be used as a picture ID. That was fine for me at the time since I still had my military ID as a picture ID, but what if I wasn’t in the military? Then I’d be out of luck on the picture ID front. And now that I’m out of the military, I just happened to move back to California, so I hopped by the DMV and fulfilled those ridiculous requirements to get a real picture ID replacement. And now, 5 and a half weeks later, I’m still waiting for the darn thing to come in the mail. I understand that there are a LOT of people in California, thus making it difficult for the state to be as efficient as, say, Wyoming, where they can simply HAND YOU a brand new license if you go to their DMV.. but really? 6 weeks? I’ve seen all manner of inefficiency from my stint in the military, but California certainly has every single state, organization, and beaurocracy cornered when it comes to inefficiency. I should run for governor.
Thanks for your service, Megan — and sorry you had such a pain on your return. I’d give you an express line
Hey there, I stumbled across your page while trying to figure out if I should be worried about my license not showing up yet. (went to the CA DMV on the 25th of october) Its only been 4 weeks and now I am realizing im not alone here. I have been using my passport as ID to get into bars because my license expired on the 13th. . fml. Have you finally gotten yours yet? if so, how long did it take?
Mine came in about three weeks.
I have in even better one. I have just applied for a gotten a new job after four months of being unemployed and on unemployment. I got married about a year and a half ago but hadn’t the need to change my last name on my DL till my new boss requested a copy with my current last name. I go strait over to the dmv where I pay $25.00 to get my new D.L. with my new last name and then she ask me if I have my old one I say yes not knowing why she needs it and she says I will have to take that one. WHAT? What about credit card purchases? What about when I go finalize the papers for the new car I test drove? what about blackfriday shopping? Don’t they know that with this new job and all the dinero I am going to be making I am going to single handedly boost the entire ca economy? She takes it from me hands me back a paper with no photo on it and says this will get you driving again. Thanks but what about all the other 100000000000 of things I need to do in the next 2 months. Ahhhh… I need a drink. Oh wait I have no I.D. to prove that I am 21. curse you dmv.
Hey everybody, you are completely right about the inefficiency of the DMV.. I’m a turkish student here, and according to california law, foreign driver licenses are valid for driving (for visitors).. As a resident, I applied for one, took the test and passed. And they handed me a permit (which is valid only if accompanied by a CA DL holder). So if I’m only a tourist here, I can drive without a CA DL, but as a resident, the same guy cannot drive alone even after passing a written exam..
And for the process itself, it is very slow and painfully inefficient. In Turkey we do not have a DMV office in almost every town, so only one office handles a city the size of Chicago. Even so you can collect your actual picture license from that office max 3 days after the completion of the process, which is very much the same.. Because, to my surprise, the DMV here does not make a good use of the technology and there’s a huge paper trail..
UGH!! I moved to CA and purchased a car soon after, at the end of september. They said I could buy the car as long as I went to the DMV and applied for a CA drivers license right away, and I did! I waited the whole 6 weeks and never got it. I called and they said my test results were pending. EXCUSE ME!?? I have all the receipts, why give me receipts if my test results weren’t entered? So I rush down to the DMV and show them and they say, “oh sorry” and re-submit my application. It’s now been 4 weeks since that and I still don’t have my drivers license. And now the car dealership is saying they are going to take the car back if I don’t have my license by next week!! Thanks a lot DMV!!!
Hey Jacee, do you really need a CA DL to purchase a new car? I’ve bought mine without one, I even didn’t have a driver’s license from another state, but from another country. The story with DMV is just tragic:)
The DMV feals if u really need a pic ID, for anything other than driveing, ie. bars, cashing checks, CC purchases, u should have gotten a state ID card as well as a drivers license. Thats what i was told when they took my expired lic upon renewal, since it is illegal to have 2 CA drivers lic.’s.
Alas my trip to CA DMV was on 11/08/10 and still nothing has come.
tc
So I ordered my replacement driver’s license on October 5th. It is now December 2nd. What gives?
@Megan M. : one or a couple of weeks more:)
Ok, I have to relate my sorry experience at the DMV in Laguna Hills. Like you, I needed them to handle something right away, so I waited in line without an appointment. It was an incredibly long wait and I was so relieved when I got to an agent and explained my problem and handed over all my paperwork. The nice young man took all my paperwork with him toward the back of the room and sat it down and then started talking to some other agents. He leaves my papers at a desk I can see and walks out the back door. I waited 20 minutes, but he didn’t reappear. Frantic, I waved down the supervisor and asked what was taking so long. My answer? My agent WENT TO LUNCH. Yep, right in the middle of my transaction, he went to lunch. It took the supervisor 10 minutes to locate my papers. I offered to jump over the desk and point them out, but he looked at me like I might be a nutcase, so I just kept pointing and waving like a game of Hotter/Colder. Eventually the supervisor found my papers and completed my transaction. Did I get an apology for this experience? Not a chance.
Lost i.d. 0$ went to dmv$5, submit papers for replacment i.d.$25 Got paper i.d. with no pic …..worthless
CA just spent millions revamping ca i.d. security measures. dmv couldnt spend a little more adding a pic to interim license?????
f*** u arnold
I had my ID, $70 & credit cards stolen from me in early September 2010. I waited in line to apply for my replacement ID a week later. Because it took that long to come up with the $25 dollars to pay the application fee.
I couldn’t take the bus to my bank because that costs money & I could’t walk there because it’s too far of a walk.
Anyways, it’s December the 19th today and i’m still waiting for my ID to come. It makes it hard for me to use my card at some places. If I tell them i’m over the age of 20 they don’t take my word for it because I look much younger than my age.
The DMV really tests your patients.
I waited for 2 months. I finally called them and they told me it was sent out about a month and a half after I originally applied for it, so it got lost in the mail! Now I have to start all over and can’t cash my payroll check or open a bank account. AZ and other states give you your license right there and then, why can’t CA?!
Wow… I’m not sure rather to feel reassured or horrified that this sort of waiting game seems to be the norm. I ordered my California Driver’s license in late October. The temporary expires today, and I still have not received my permanent license. Luckily I live next to my place of work, so driving is non-essential, but… what do most people do in this situation? This is ludicrous.
Happy Holidays CA DMV :/
wow, I’m glad I bumped into this site, so I’m not alone. I applied for a duplicate license in 11/15/2010, and still have not received it. It’s “only” been 5 weeks, so maybe it’s useless to go in for my appointment tomorrow to ask about it? Are there any success stories? did anyone finally get the license after 2 months? 3 months?
I ordered mine october 7th and still have not recieved it… I also moved in that time so i have to keep calling my last landlord .. Top it off i go to south lake tahoe and im 25 and i can’t even gamble on my birthday… I had 5 ids showing it was me even with that stupid crap paper dmv gives you but still i needed some ca state crap … NOw i wonder if i’ll ever get my id or did it get lost? I went to Dmv they said they mailed it out on the first of december and now its christmas and right around the corner is NEw Years . This blows !How can i even get into a bar? Is my ID even going to come?
I found this site because I was wondering why it is taking so long for me to receive my renewal DL. I sent in my renewal form in the mail on October 15 2010. I then went to Dmv one week before my DL expired and they gave me a paper temporary permit and they told me that my DL had been processed but not mailed yet. They told me that it takes about 3 months to now process the renewal DL because the dmv has begun to contract with some kind of private company to do it for them and they really are slow at what they do. The check that I mailed them cleared my account on oct 19 2010 but still no new DL and today is dec. 27. But I still have not recieved my new DL. The last time I renewed my DL by mail it took only about 2 or 3 weeks. this really sucks now for me.
@Tom
Same thing for me except I went to dmv personally to renew my license
I renewed mine on nov 3rd and still hasnt been processed
My interim driver license expired today so I had to go back at and get a new temp license. I called the 800 number and bugged them so many times but they told me to wait another month.. FML
I hope somebody sues them or somebody gets fired. They have so many people hurting since its nearly impossible to take care of business without a valid picture I.D.
So looks like I am not the only one who has not received their renewed DL via mail. I mailed the form back with a check in early October and today is my birthday and still no DL in the mail! This is riduculous! I did not want to go into the DMV cause of the bad experience my son had. They actually printed out his renewed card with someone else’s photo and gave it to the wrong person. So to this date, he has no drivers license until DMV completes THEIR investigation. No we are screwed either way mail, online and in their office. I say California adopt Arizona’s practice of issuing one DL for extended years until they get their stuff together.
I took my drivers test and passed november 12 and its jan 1st and i still havent recieved my id in the mail.
Ordered my ID in Mid September. Called last month to see where it was. They told me they had mailed it October 13th. Still haven’t seen it. I’m just going to go order another one like they told me too. ;/ Another 8 weeks to wait …
Tip for those California DMV appointments……..Just walk up to the appt line and tell them you made one,they will give you a ticket,THEY DON”T CHECK! I did this 3 times.
Oh I forgot to mention I renewed mine in mid sept……….15 weeks ago,still waiting.They said it’s taking 4-6 months not weeks.
Well, some good news finally for me… just got back to LA from my winter holiday on the east coast, and my license was waiting for me in my mailbox! Took about 2.5 months. For those still waiting, don’t give up hope!
Cheers
I had no choice but to renew only my state id card when I was informed by the agent helping me that they could not renew my drivers license due to an unresolved issue with my license in Arizona. Since I have not been there since 1995 I assume my sister had something to do with an unpaid ticket issued in Arizona to me in 2002. I can only imagine how she pulled that one off.
Anyway, has anyone had a problem with the the message printed on the top of the receipt for the California State ID Card renewal that reads “RECEIPT – NOT A LICENSE OR PERMIT NOT A VERIFIED IDENTIFICATION”?
I can not open a checking account to verify my ebay and paypal accounts so that I can begin selling and I can not wait the weeks for my card to get here! What do I do? Why would they put such a thing on the only thing that will prove to people you exist?
Got mine on jan 3 ordered it on dec 5 way too long but there is hope
There is hope. I applied for my license back in November, and finally after a little more than 2 months, I got my license in the mail today!
I am SO glad I found this website! My license expired on my birthday, Nov 1st. I made an appt and went to the DMV on Oct 25th. I did the pic, thumb print, paid my fee and got my interim paper, which was to expire Dec 23rd. On Dec 21st I called the DMV and the lady said “hmmm…it hasn’t been mailed yet. We’ll send you another interim.” Okay, 2 weeks later and no interim. I call again. The man says “We mailed the actual license out on Dec 21st.” THE DAY I CALLED? I said it never came. He said I have to go to the DMV and pay another $25, miss another 1/2 day of work, and apply for a replacement. Here it’s been almost 3 months and I’ve been driving around with expired info since Dec 23rd. I know they messed up because of this new high security license change and they should take that into consideration instead of making us jump through hoops again.
The dmv took out the $31 from my bank for a drivers license renewal on November 10th, 2010. Its now Jan. 15th and ive yet to recieve my license in the mail, and it expired in mid December last year! Every job im applying for wants a valid license, what do I tell them? employers think im irresponsible and lost it. How can it possibly take so long? I know a new license is coming out but I ordered it 3 months ago….. insane.
Well, there is hope kids. I posted earlier about having gone into the DMV on the 25th of October. It came in the mail today. I am sharing this so that if you ordered it before Oct 25th, you may want to follow up with the DMV, if you ordered after, its worth waiting it out. I apologize for the utter failure that is our DMV at the moment. I have great empathy and fortunately had a passport to get me through (with the drinking). Good luck everyone.
@Pablo: thanks for ur post, it gave me security, im also using my passport in the meantime lol
I’m torn between feeling relieved and angry now that I have found this page. I’m somewhat at ease that I am not alone in this, however, I paid my renewal on the 27th of October and have not receive it yet. I had contacted them sometime during the first week of this month (January) and had been told that it was not sent yet. My license had expired on the 24th of December and I have also been dealing with issues from the lack of valid verification that some of you have been experiencing as well. I really am at a loss for words and actions towards this problem.
@Cid, don’t feel bad. I went to the dmv in person 6 days before you paid your renewal and I still have nothing. Not only that, they said they sent it on Dec 21st which I know is false because the first time I called, ON THE 21st, they said it hadn’t even been processed yet. I have an appointment to go back to the DMV on Feb 10th, but I refuse to give up hope that it will show up before then. Thank you Pablo for that hope!
I renewed on November 16, 2010. Never received a renewal acknowledgment email to flash around (when I write a check)…no extension papers…nothing. Guess they’re over there decorating my license with Valentine hearts before they [hopefully] send it out.
Everyone, I did an update to this post: California DMV Struggling To Issue With Driver’s Licenses. A new license format is to blame. Apparently, you can call (800) 777-0133 to get a temporary document mailed, if you’re still waiting.
@Danny Sullivan, that number is helpful but a temporary document does not allow me to purchase alcohol or cigarettes or get into a nightclub with an 18+ restriction, I couldnt even buy a Rated R movie ticket. Most if not all place will not accept my expired picture license in conjunction with my paper temp license.
Similar case here as well. I renewed in person on Oct. 26th last year. Called the DMV in the first week of Jan. to follow up, they said it was processed on Dec. 21st. I still waiting…
Els, really? How weird! It’s like anything processed on the 21st disappeared. I hate that they can’t admit error and they want us to pay another fee.
I’ve never had a problem getting my license…but I did get a CA ID card when I was younger to have as a second ID for when I went to the bank to cash a check and things like that (this was a long time ago when I refused to open a bank account, due to their criminality and idiocy), but here’s the kicker…a CA ID is USELESS as a second ID because it has the same number as your D.L., at least that’s what the banks told me…have you ever seen anyone flip out in a bank before??
My son went to the DMV on October 18th to get his license renewed. He had a paper version that expired 12/24 and he still hadn’t received his license. He went back to the DMV and waited in the forever line and was told that because he is under 21, the new “special” vertical ID’s are taking longer. They gave him another paper license and he still doesn’t have his picture ID, it’s now 14 weeks. Now they are saying because of all the holidays, furloughs and whatever other excuse they can come up with that it’s still another 6 to 8 weeks because they are so far behind. Really????
My daughter mailed her renewal on Nov 1st & it cleared her bank on Nov 5th, she turned 21 on Nov 23rd. A few months ago, she bought 2 concert tickets for her boyfriend & her as a Christmas present for him, they were to attend last weekend but she ended up having to sell them at the door becuz they wouldn’t let her in due to her expired license. Everyday she is hopeful that it’ll be in our mailbox only to be disappointed time and time again. DMV, Please STOP the insanity!
Passed my drivers test on Oct 10th and still have not got my license in the mail, i called and they said it was mailed out Nov 2nd. Called again Jan 18th they said it was being processed on Jan 5th, What is going on!
Chatted with DMV today and they will send a new driver’s license out to me. I should expect it in 90 days they say!! I’m not even mad anymore…
Phew! I’m legal once again. I renewed my cdl online 11-14-10, one month before my b’day. Today I FINALLY! received my new license. I couldn’t even buy Sudafed for my allergies. I tried to convince the pharmacist that, although my license had expired, I was still the same person. He didn’t believe me. I felt like a flake, as others on this site had said. I just wanted everyone to know, there is light at the end of this long, long tunnel.
“I tried to convince the pharmacist that, although my license had expired, I was still the same person. He didn’t believe me.” LOL!
traveling is not equal to driving… Driving is a commerce word. Unless the public roads are in use for making money, it’s free to traveling about in all 50 states by the Constitution. Read It! U.S.A. is a Common Law system that runs parallel with other law systems. It depends which jurisdiction the human being (not corporate identity) is operating in…
My temp lisence has my info but no photo. My expired lisence has all the same info plus a photo. Yet when showing both articles to a bartender, bouncer, security gaurd, etc they act dumbfounded that I’m even arguing the situation. Apperently expiration dates have more power over logic.
Well, I went to DMV to get my temporary since my new license (which I ordered in December) hadn’t arrived, and I needed valid ID to see my daughter’s wedding on a cruise ship (they won’t let you board without going through security). They did take my picture, and used my thumb print to ID me. Though I had my passport and birth cert. with me, they never asked for it. Be sure to tell them you lost your license so you don’t have to surrender it. That photo is still useful to some people. They said to expect my new license by mid March. I wonder if them taking my picture started the whole process over again. I guess I’ll see when it arrives.
My sons license was ordered back in the beginning of Dec.2010 it is now February 15 ??? He was suppose to be going through prosessing for the Air Force today,But due to our CA DMV since all he has is a piece of paper with no Picture on it they could not process him.
ABSOLUTLEY RIDICULOUS
My son is STILL waiting from back in October. Every time he goes down to the office to talk to them, they tell him 30 days. Geez, how many more “30 days” is this going to take? It’s ridiculous.
How hard is it to ISSUE a piece of paper with a picture on it?? Even a Black and White picture would be fine.
Whew! I just started teh daunting process of changing my name as I got married in October. It’s funny cause you can change your name on ALL of your life except for your bank accounts until you get your actual new Driver License with your new name.
BTW, if you don’t have an appointment, just go abou 1/2 an hour prior to the DMV opening and it only takes about 15 minutes. I’ve done this twice now. Sure it’s 45 minutes total but asking to start your shift 30 minutes late is MUCH better than having to take a half day
Also, NEVER give them your existing license if you have it. I told them I lost mine and have always done this. Otherwise, they punch a big hole in your DOB (or it sounds like now they just take the whole thing). All I know is that they shouldn’t be allowed to take something unless they give you a new one on the spot.
I am glad I kept it too since me and the hubbs are trying to buy a condo and I may need that license to prove who I am along with our marriage license and Social Security Card. It’s weird cause I am my married name in half of my world and still my maiden name in the other just because of a Driver License. What a pain in the neck!!
“Whew! I just started teh daunting process of changing my name as I got married in October.”
Congrats Kat!
Hi,
It’s me again and i still have NO license … I applied for the second time on Jan 13th snd i still have not recieved my license… Since OCtober i have not had a license i can’t do anything it crazy i have a million an one stories what i could not do with out a license and im 25 WOW F U DMV
Thank God I’m 40 and I can at least get into bars. I’ve been waiting since October 21st. They said they sent it Dec 21st. I give up. I’m going back to apply again even though I know they lost it. I hate them.
I wouldn’t do that Stephanie. One trend I’m noticing here is that they lie when someone asks about their license. They say “it’s in the mail” when obviously it isn’t. It you go re-apply, it may very well put you back at the beginning of the wait. I’m still waiting for mine, and like I said in an earlier post, when I went for my temporary, they took a new photo, so that probably started the process over again. I don’t expect mine anytime soon.
Thanks Ken. Trust me, I’d much rather wait and hope it shows up than go spend half a day and $25 at the DMV, only to end up in the same position I’m in now. My co-worker hasn’t gotten hers yet either, but a sister of another co-worker got hers in 4 weeks! That’s what really chaps my hide. What are they doing, playing Russian roulette to decide who gets their license? Is this their way of trying to increase revenue? It’s beyond ridiculous.
DMV didnt even charge me the second time…..HMMMMM wonder why ???? Maybe because they LOST IT!
I know what you mean! My wife got hers in just a few weeks, but she did that when we got married (she needed to change her name), so that was almost a year ago. I understand that the holdup is a 3rd party business who is responsible for the security. I can see why that is a problem (they can’t just change security), but they need a solution fast! If they had to pay the consequences of slow delivery like a real business, they would have been out of business long ago.
Thanks Ken!! Wow, I must have been pretty irritated when I wrote that last post… Typos galore! Oh well, I have now accepted that I may be waiting for my DL for a while. Plus, there is no point on dwelling on something out of my control
I’m still waiting (since October). I decided to wait and live with an expired license if I had to. But on Saturday I went to cancel my cell phone plan and get a new one so I could get an iPhone, and guess what? No current ID, no new cell phone plan! Great…I felt like some sort of criminal. The guy at Best Buy was saying “Sorry, can’t do it; we need a current ID.” Really now.
This was just in my local paper, it gives an email address near the end to bother them! My son is still waiting since October 18th and he is on his second paper extension.
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Q: A few weeks ago the DMV said it had fixed all the issues and it was now taking much less time to get a renewed license. Well, my daughter’s renewal was mailed on Nov. 26 and mine on Dec. 10. To date, neither of us has received our licenses. What can we do? “… I submitted my renewal application in September, assuming that would be plenty of time before my license expired at the end of November. In December I was told that I would receive my license that month. January came and went and still no license. I’ve now gotten two temporary licenses and am at a complete loss on what to do. “… My daughter’s license expired in January and there is no sign of the new one. “… This is very frustrating.
David Schwartz, David Chun, Carl Nielsen, Maria West, Cheryl Maguire and many more
A: And I do mean many more! The DMV estimates that about 250,000 drivers in the state have not gotten their licenses returned to them on time, all because of glitches with the new high-tech card the state began issuing July 1. That is about 8 percent of the 3 million licenses that have been renewed, and about 40,000 are still waiting. Some colors are off, smudges can appear and some cannot be read correctly.
The DMV says these problems should be resolved by April 1. As of Friday, 98 percent of all license and identification cards should have been issued to those who completed their application through Jan.
In the meantime, those who have been waiting six weeks or more can e-mail the department at loddlidsp@dmv.ca.gov to check on the status of their renewal. List the date you renewed your license and provide your full name and two of the following: driver’s license number, date of birth or address.
The state also says if you have paid your renewal fee, not gotten your new license and are stopped by police, rest easy. A check of your license should reveal that you have paid.
Sally, I want to cry! An email address, finally! Thank you so much. I already emailed them. I am at my wits end. You are an angel.
Well my son just received a letter that he has to take his picture over. Really it takes you 5 months to realize this???? Unbelievable.
@ Stephanie – glad I could help, I hope you get yours soon.
Well, been waiting 7 weeks for a duplicate license in CA. Checked at DMV
and was told it would take up to 6 weeks so don’t expect it till then. She
said they had a new picture taking process that was slowing everything up.
But I didn’t get a new picture, just want a copy of my old lic. Now the
web site says 6 to 8 weeks. Geesh, gotta love how big govt. works!
“Geesh, gotta love how big govt. works!” or doesn’t.
It was extremely frustrating waiting for my renewed license to arrive. I was on every site complaining ….going to the DMV and raising hell. I think every one was tired of hearing about my driver’s license.
Then at the miraculous 12 week mark, the license ‘appeared’ in my mailbox. So, i threw a party!!!
So use that 12 week mark as a guideline. Anything longer, and it has 1) either been lost in the mail or 2) it was made with defects and rejected AND sent back to the company in NJ to be re-made.
This is my second automatic renewal and the picture is a bit dated now. Will i go back to get a new photo taken…….NOT!
My license expired in November and I am on my second temporary paper license, which expires in a few days. Needless to say, I have to go stand in line again and get a THIRD temporary license. It has now been four months and this is starting to get real ridiculous!!!!!
ok, so it has been 2 to 3 months since i took my younger brother to the dmv for his ca id. i try to call the office but they give me this 800 number and i am talking to a machine. does anyone know other ways i can contact them besides waiting in that long line again and just confronting them? help
No Rose, I sure don’t. I sent 2 emails to the email address they gave us in the newspaper (loddlidsp@dmv.ca.gov) and never got a reply. I made an appointment and finally went in yesterday. I was only there 15 minutes. I told the clerk that I applied for my new one in person on October 23rd and haven’t gotten anything and that the DMV claims it was mailed on Dec 21st. She had me start all over again but didn’t charge me the $25 that the person on the phone said I would have to pay. Now I have an interim that is good for 90 days and HOPEFULLY I will have a license by summer.
So I went to the DMV again to get another interim license and they told me it was pending, then sent me to another window. When I was finally called up the lady told me I had to take a picture because for some reason the one I took in November didn’t register. After she took my picture, the computer rejected it because it wasn’t lined up right and so had to take another one. Now the wait starts all over again! ugh
I havent gotten my license and its been over 6 weeks. does anyone know if i go to the dmv and get an identification card now that it will be much quicker?? I really need it!
I’m really pissed. I applied fir my State Id in early Feb and I still have not rwcieved my new id. I’ve been offered two jobs and I have to fly out to Va on Fri. Jobs were recinded because no id. Can I sue the state over this inconvienance?
I’m new to Ca, had to order my b-certificate, that takes 7 to 10 business days, very worried as I have to fly out to see my young daughters in Mi for Mothers day without a picture ID. My id expired in July, yes I waited to long but have you been to the DMV after having a baby???? Anyways, has anyone flown in the use without a picture id, using their ss card and b-certificate as a form of Id to fly. I have contacted the TSA, still waiting to hear back from them.
I flew using an expired ID. The TSA agent told me my ID was expired (duh) and I said “I know, I’m waiting for my new one.” And that was it, no problem.
OMG! I am not the only one who has been waiting for the new driver license FOREVER!!! I renewed it on Nov. 3, got a second temporary paper thing in January, now it’s time to get another temporary one, and still waiting for the ID to come in the mail…The phone number has always been busy. Sent an email (provided on DMV website) asking about it, and they told me they sent it out in late december!!! So now what? it got lost in the mail? I have to start all over again?!! The funny thing is that I received the vehicle registration renewal notice at the same address without any problem and without any delay! Unbelievable!!!
By the way, does anyone know if there is any risks involved if the card was lost in mail? Thanks!
Kandy, mine was also “sent out” in late December. I have a feeling there was a whole batch that got lost or probably never processed. I highly doubt they are lost in the mail. I got my registration renewal too and I wanted to scream. I emailed that email address twice (this gets really funny) asking about my license that I applied for in October. I never got a reply. Finally I went and reapplied earlier this month. Last week I get an answer from the email: “Your application was processed on March 8th.” HAHA! They never answered regarding my first license, but they answered about the one I applied for after giving up. One more little note to everyone; when I was at the DMV the clerk who helped me was going through the same thing we are going through.
Say what you will about govt agencies, the USPS is pretty good. There’s no chance this many licenses were “lost” in the mail. It’s DMVs “standard” answer. Sorry about all of the “quotation marks” lol. I finally got mine. Ordered in Dec, arrived 2 days ago in March. BTW, it DOES have the new photo they took of me when I broke down and went in to get a temporary in early Feb. That makes sense, since that was the “photo on file” when the company who is making these licenses got to it. It’s a shame though…I looked younger in my old photo…probably because it was taken 15 years ago.
Just got back from spending 4 hours at the Oakland DMV. They were unwilling to accept my unaltered, valid, completely legit, 2 year old passport! Claimed they could not tell me why. It has a stamp from homeland security for christs sake. It has a single page with a crease in it because that page extends a little further then the others (bad trim job by who ever produced it). Now, I actually thought about altering it, trimming that one page so that it did not stick out, however I thought better of that and left it just as I had received it from the government. Now I have to wait 3 days for a call from Sacramento, and probably have to return to the same DMV to get my license. Oh, and they already have my money… I did refuse provide a birth certificate as an alternative (I lost mine), and the site states that a valid passport is more then enough… It is the best condition passport I have seen (I don’t travel much), and find it completely absurd they can refuse it and not tell me why, taking my money, and telling me to wait for a phone call. Thanks aholes.
After 3 trips to the DMV to re-take his picture and get yet another temporary paper license, my son’s new license arrived today after 6 months of nonsense and waiting.
So I did the renewal online on Dec.7 and it is now April still nothing and then my husband did his about a month ago and already got his what gives now I’m sitting on hold for 30 minutes to get some answers, HOPEFULLY. I let you know the out come.
Just received my dl last week.. Wow.. So when they say 60 days they really mean it. The new id’s are pretty ugly too..
Well here it is April 2011,and were still waiting for my sons Drivers License.Been waiting since October of 2010.Thank goodness that when he went to MEPS for the Air Force they accepted his college picture ID and a Sas Club card to back it up.He just recieved another paper renewal a couple of days ago.This is absolutley ridiculous
I received a notice to renew my DL, I made the appt., went, paid $41, took foto, took print, eye exam, computer surprised us that I needed to take a written exam, I’m 66, supervisor help newbie waive that, got temp receipt to keep with old DL, in and out in 45 min, in a week or two new license came in mail…….they left off my motorcycle endorsement !!! I ain’t paying another $41 but it looks like I got to start with another appt. !
what was there email. walking to the DMV for short quick answers is far too much.
The DMV took $140 out of my paycheck for and old car. IS this even legal? why didn’t they just send me the bill for heaven sake to my home address? This could cost me my job…oh yeah I will file a complaint against the DMV
Random question here -
In California, do they require a new picture for a duplicate license? Or can they re-use the existing one from a still valid license?
Reason being – Just lost my wallet over the weekend… but for once I liked my pic on my license and would be a shame to have it replaced. The license i lost was still valid for another 2 years.
Thanks,
Brian
The Dmv always does something to make my life complicated it doesn’t matter how long it has been since I’ve had to deal with them It’s like a soap opera, you can come back to it after a very long time & the drama is still poppin,lol. I went to renew my license & they wanted to see my I.D so i showed the lady, & she kept it! I had just had paid money to have it renewed last year too! So they tell me it’s going to be 30 days, it is almost past that time period already! A friend of mine had hers renewed at the same time along with her SS Card & the only valid form of ID right now is her birth certificate. They will not accept only her birth cert & the temp drivers license in order for her to pick up her check, can they legally keep her check from her? She doesn’t have the money to get a passport & the id required to do so anyway. Ppl shouldn’t have to shell out $100 in order to have a valid id anyway. In my opinion if the temp license is valid enough to drive with then it should be considered valid everywhere! Are you gonna tell me it’s good enough to get behind the wheel of a car with & trust oir lives with these drivers with the temp license Omg! (rolling my eyes), They need to come out with a way so that ppl are not caught up in a problem like this & find themselves without ID. I dnt think some things will ever improve because the gvt is too stupid by worrying about finding solutions for things that are barely an issue. Well, DMV, Until We Meet Again, It won’t be long enough I’m afraid! Lol.
i lost my i.d card so i got a new on, then because of my luck the day after i got my i.d card replaced i found it. what should i do?
Hi, It’s me again. Here is what happened to me, it is hilarious now, but not so much while it was happening. Hope my story wil make the ppl on here who are upset have a bit of a laugh at my expense,lol Well, I ended up getting my DL & ID in the mail but not before they managed to lose it twice! When I went bk the first time, I was ready to get my pic retaken,etc. Then I waited 30 days for both to arrive. When I realized it wasn’t coming I went bk a sec time thinking that they would reuse my same pic. And, no they didn’t, of course it ended up being a day where I looked like hell, my hair needed combing,etc.. I am very bad about blinking during having my pic made. The lady helping me showed me the tenth one taken with my eyelids at half mast & asked me, could we manage with that one, I looked at my pic & said to her, “No way! I don’t want that pic to be the first thing cops look at when I get pulled over! I looked like I had been smoking sumthin! Haha! I told her “All that is missing is a Hawaiian shirt to go with it! Bahahaha!, It honestly made me think of that mugshot of Nick Nolte! Haha! Good Luck To Everybody on getting theirs!
I got my license in Missouri on – guess what!? – The same day. I transferred it from Connecticut which, if I recall correctly, that DL was received the same day or a few days later.
Then I moved.
To California. Went to get a new DL on Oct. 21st. But they had to verify some documents first. Fine.
So I waited for it in the mail. Nothing. I called 5 weeks later. “It’s still in the ‘verification’ process,” they said. What!?
So it’s not even in regular processing. It’s now Dec. 2. I will call again soon as my paper license will expire this month. But I really want to curse them out.
Such an inefficient system.
I moved to Illinois from Michigan 2 years ago, but never got an Illinois ID. I lost my old Michigan ID, and the Illinois SoS would not issue me a new one, because I did not have a photo ID. So I went back to Michigan to get a replacement, which was very easy. That means I lied about my address. What kind of trouble can I get in? . . . I am an attorney, can I be disbarred?