Transfer Out of State License to MA (Boston: public school, cost)

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

My experience was even more pleasant. You can renew your license, online, up to 1 yr ahead of your birthday, and get the new license by mail. So I'll essentially get 6 yrs out of my new license! Kudos to MA for making it painless.

For some reason, they wanted me to produce a copy of my birth certificate. I've had a license for over 40 years in this state with no interruptions, perfect driving record, etc. This was not for a REAL ID, just a regular renewal.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

For some reason, they wanted me to produce a copy of my birth certificate. I've had a license for over 40 years in this state with no interruptions, perfect driving record, etc. This was not for a REAL ID, just a regular renewal.

Yikes. I was renewing a REAL ID, so I wonder if that's the difference...that my documents were already on the RMV record.

But even for the REAL ID a couple of years ago, I was able to do the conversion from a regular license at my AAA, so that wasn't too bad either. The funny thing though was they weren't able to validate my passport number during the appointment, so I had to come back a second time.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by newmassphd

In Delaware and other places they give you the license on the spot.

I spot checked a few other states. California, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania all mail out of state license transfers. In 2022, I think to would be pretty normal to prevent identity theft and to prevent people facing a license suspension from getting a license in another state.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I spot checked a few other states. California, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania all mail out of state license transfers. In 2022, I think to would be pretty normal to prevent identity theft and to prevent people facing a license suspension from getting a license in another state.

When my daughter applied for a Georgia driver's license, she had to surrender her Mass. license but she got the new one on the spot. However, when a year later she got one from South Carolina she did not have to turn in the one from Georgia. So she has 2. Talk about potential fraud...

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

When my daughter applied for a Georgia driver's license, she had to surrender her Mass. license but she got the new one on the spot. However, when a year later she got one from South Carolina she did not have to turn in the one from Georgia. So she has 2. Talk about potential fraud...

Years ago but:
When I got my CA license, they punched a hole in my MI license and mailed the new one. Gave my a paper license, but that was 07/08?
When I got my MA license, same thing: punched a hole in my CA license and mailed a new one, gave me a paper. But again, that was 13/14-ish

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

When my daughter applied for a Georgia driver's license, she had to surrender her Mass. license but she got the new one on the spot. However, when a year later she got one from South Carolina she did not have to turn in the one from Georgia. So she has 2. Talk about potential fraud...

I had a spare Vermont license for years. It let me cut the queue at bars and skip paying the cover charge. At some point, it became illegal to have a second license and I dropped to one license. I think it changed after 9/11. There was no way to legally renew it. I had to provide a Social Security number and attest that it was my legal address. I got some years out of the expired one.

[CaseyB]

She kept it because she thought maybe they would move back to Savannah and be buying a house there, but they've since decided to look for one in SC.

[chicagoliz]

PA gave licenses on the spot. I don't know if that's different now with Real ID. But we always thought it was asinine that MA did the whole mail thing.

The process for getting a Real ID in MD was such a PITA that I suggested to my mother not even to bother and just get a passport card. It's supposed to be for just going to Canada and Mexico but it can be used as ID in any situation, including regular domestic flying. But you can keep it in your wallet just like your license so you don't have to worry about losing your regular passport. I actually got a passport card for my son when he was 15 because I wanted him to have ID. It worked great until he managed to lose it, but now he has a Real ID so it doesn't matter so much.

[htfdcolt]

Interesting and somewhat topical news item!

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/...officials-say/

[johngolf]

I have always maintained that driver licensing and vehicle registration should be US wide as under the Federal Government.