Waiting in the DMV pool – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Michael Gordon
Going to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to renew or register for a Florida driver’s license is not an enjoyable experience. Oftentimes the DMV is filled with hundreds of people trying to accomplish the same goal in the fastest way possible. Too bad your goal of getting in and out within a reasonable period of time is not likely.
If you’re one of those drivers who forget to renew their standard Class E driver’s license every eight years in the state of Florida, chances are you’ve had to take a stroll to the DMV and wait longer than you wanted to.
Effective Feb 1. Florida drivers who fail to renew their license within one year of the expiration date listed on the ID will be required to complete the written and vision portion of the driver’s exam before being eligible to renew their license, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
Meaning, drivers who fail to renew their ID within a year past the expiration date will have to take two exams before resuming their driving adventures on the road. Not only will drivers have to wait in line, but they will also incur an additional time penalty at the DMV due to the exams.
“Class E licenses may be renewed up to 18 months before expiration. I encourage everyone to renew early to avoid retest requirements. Applicants who wish to study for the exam may access the official Florida Driver’s Handbook through our website,” said Lunsford.
Scenarios that are subject to retesting include the following:
- Customers applying for a Florida driver’s license and their out-of-state driver’s license has been expired for one year or more
- Customers who did not apply to renew their driver’s license within the one-year delinquent renewal period
- Customers who downgraded from a driver’s license to an ID card and the driver’s license has been expired for one year or more
- Customers who have completed the Class E knowledge exam but have not had it applied to an issuance within one year of the exam date
In other words, if you have not checked the expiration date on your Florida driver’s license in the past year or so, make sure you have a couple of months before it does expire so that you can renew your driver’s ID online, in person, or via the mail, with the peace of mind that you will avoid having to take the exams at a later time.
In the meantime, Florida drivers should be looking forward to the possibility of accessing their FDL’s via mobile devices. Florida residents will be able to apply for digital licenses sometime later this year and will be the first in the country to deploy and implement such a program. At the moment, we are unsure about the renewal procedures regarding the digital licenses.
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Terry is an avid Nascar fan who grew up attending races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just down the road from his hometown of China Grove, NC. Terry currently resides in Wellington and has been writing for 15 years. He also enjoys watching the Road Runner Looney Tunes cartoon with his two sons in his spare time.