So I had to go renew my driver license in person this week....

[The Tradition]

My driver license expires this month (happy birthday to me!) and because it's been more than seven years since I last renewed in person, it was time to get a new photo per Florida law, and I also needed to get a TSA-approved "Real ID" before the May deadline anyway, so the stars aligned on that for once in my life.

The Good: Holy crap! The service was fantastic! Made an online appointment, got my documents checked before waiting in case something was missing, and was in and out in less than 30 minutes. The GOP-run government here has put together an efficient operation! Oh, and I redid the vision test and got the "Corrective Lenses" restriction off my license! Super win!

The Bad: $54.25??? Are you freaking kidding me?

The Ugly: The clientele. Woof. No pics.

 

[BelemNole]

 

[The Tradition]

A work colleague moved from Florida to North Carolina and had to wait at the DMV all day to get a license.

 

[BelemNole]

A work colleague moved from Florida to North Carolina and had to wait at the DMV all day to get a license.

 

[Hans81]

I thought it was an interesting story. 😉

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Typical selfish Republican.

Happy when government makes things easy and convenient for you but still don’t want to pay for it.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

My driver license expires this month (happy birthday to me!) and because it's been more than seven years since I last renewed in person, it was time to get a new photo per Florida law, and I also needed to get a TSA-approved "Real ID" before the May deadline anyway, so the stars aligned on that for once in my life.

The Good: Holy crap! The service was fantastic! Made an online appointment, got my documents checked before waiting in case something was missing, and was in and out in less than 30 minutes. The GOP-run government here has put together an efficient operation! Oh, and I redid the vision test and got the "Corrective Lenses" restriction off my license! Super win!

The Bad: $54.25??? Are you freaking kidding me?

The Ugly: The clientele. Woof. No pics.

Dems have run St Joe County forever and the license branch here has always been very efficient.

However in the neighboring LaPorte County where I grew up I remember sitting with my parents for 3 hours therw.

 

[goldmom]

Typical selfish Republican.

Happy when government makes things easy and convenient for you but still don’t want to pay for it.

Since we don’t have an income tax the State has devised other ways to ding your pocketbook.

 

[SoProudNole]

OP didn’t even have the decency to get in a rollover accident on the way home.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Since we don’t have an income tax the State has devised other ways to ding your pocketbook.

$55 for seven years isn’t too bad.

 

[The Tradition]

$55 for seven years isn’t too bad.

You have to renew online or by mail every year and pay money. You only have to show up and get your photo taken and the vision test every seven years.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

You have to renew online or by mail every year and pay money. You only have to show up and get your photo taken and the vision test every seven years.

Why am I seeing eight years on all the FL gov websites?

 

[The Tradition]

Why am I seeing eight years?

The rule is "if it's been more than seven years" or some bureaucratic shit like that. So it's effectively eight years.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

The rule is "if it's been more than seven years" or some bureaucratic shit like that. So it's effectively eight years.

So, you don’t pay a fee every year then. Just when you renew.

 

[The Tradition]

So, you don’t pay a fee every year then. Just when you renew.

No, you pay a renewal fee every year online or by mail. That's like $36.

But you only have to physically show up and get a photo and a vision test if it's been more than seven years since you last did that. And that costs $54.25.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

No, you pay a renewal fee every year online or by mail. That's like $36.

But you only have to physically show up and get a photo and a vision test if it's been more than seven years since you last did that. And that costs $54.25.

Where are you seeing that? Are you sure you’re not getting scammed?

Nothing in the official dmv site says anything about paying a yearly renewal fee.

 

[The Tradition]

Where are you seeing that? Are you sure you’re not getting scammed?

Nothing in the official dmv site says anything about paying a yearly renewal fee.

You're right. I'm thinking the registration renewal. Never mind.