Drivers license w/o taking test? (Corpus Christi: home, legally, safety)

[Bigmama1287]

I did not earn my drivers license in TX so I don't know how you do things here. Please advise.

My son has been terrified to take his test. When he had his permit, he drove everywhere he could and drove very safely but just something about being scrutinized he didn't like, so when it expired he stopped driving all together. Now he is 20 years old and I have had it with driving him around, so he recently went in to renew his instructional so he could legally practice and study for getting his license.

They made him fill out a drivers license renewal form, pay 24 dollars, took his picture and thumb prints, told him it wouldn't expire for 6 years and in the mail friday he received something that looks very much like a license...

What do permits look like here? We don't know anyone around new driver age. His original permit was paper, and he did receive a paper one when he went into the DPS two weeks ago. Doesn't he still have to take a drivers TEST? Have things changed since he was 16 or is this a flub?

[lonestar2007]

Sounds like he lucked out to me. The paper one he received was just temporary until his license arrived in the mail. A learner's permit license is temporary, not for 6 years, so he now has a driver's license. Also, a temporary license (such as issued to kids after they complete the learner permit requirements and are ready for a license, but are not 18 yet) will also be vertical rather than horizontal.

[gabetx]

You dont need to have a permit to get a license once you are 18 or older in the state of Texas. You go straight to getting your license. Thats probably why some areas of Texas has the worst drivers in the world... *Cough* Corpus Christi *Cough*.

[MaryS80]

It's a restricted license. I believe the words drivers license are in red, on a regular license they are in green. If you flip it over it should have something under the restrictions part.

[GoingHome2TX]

Both of my Texas licenses say "Driver License" in red. One was a regular driver's license, the current and valid one is a commercial driver's license permit.

The permit license does denote restrictions on the front (AR) and back that say I need corrective lenses (A) and that I am only permited to drive a Class A vehicle with a licensed driver in the vehicle with me (R). That (R) and the Class A on the front are the only differences between the permit license and the Class C license, aside from the obvious picture and serial number along the left side of the picture. The license number itself is even identical.

I am however over 21 years old, so I don't know if this information applies to the vertical licenses.

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by gabetx

You dont need to have a permit to get a license once you are 18 or older in the state of Texas. You go straight to getting your license. Thats probably why some areas of Texas has the worst drivers in the world... *Cough* Corpus Christi *Cough*.

But you still have to take the written and driving test, right?

[gabetx]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

But you still have to take the written and driving test, right?

I dont think so. My dad is a police officer. Ill ask him when he gets home from work at midnight.

[loves2read]

Apparently if your son was in a Driver's License program and "graduated" to a Provisional type B license (where he has to have a licensed driver in front seat)
and received no tickets for violating the Provisional license--then he can just graduate to a full license w/o taking another test ...he did not go in and do that when the probation period was over--no driving test required--just an upgraded TDL w/photo
But he did not void his eligible status by NOT haivng it changed--

I think from the time the provisional expired to when he went in to renew the time frame was under 2 years--if the elapsed time in renewing goes 2 yrs or more then it is treated as a new application and he would have been required to take the tests...

Texas Department of Public Safety - Graduated Driver License Program (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/graduateddriver.htm - broken link)

New Page 2 (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/faq/answers_dl_id.htm#q5 - broken link)

[Bigmama1287]

Thank you for all your replies.... It's been very confusing for us, and right now he's even more uncertain than ever to get in a car because he has no idea what he's gotten himself into *smacks forhead* On the one hand, he doesn't want to do something illegal, and on the other, his anxiety about the test doesn't apply if he did indeed "luck out".

He will be 21 in late september and you are right, the license is verticle and does have the restriction that he must have someone 21 or older in the car, which is almost laughable considering he will soon fit that description I suppose the age limit is only applicable to licensed drivers "holding a license for three years prior" or whatever? Bah.

So does he merely go and have the restriction lifted (and how exactly does he do that, also...)? I read something in the online handbook about that costing 10 dollars but not under what circumstance it may occur. Someone mentioned that first licenses have restrictions on them for 6 months?

All thess "under 18" yet "over 21" rules seem to make this more difficult for me to understand and it is making my head spin

[lonestar2007]

I would just go down to my local DPS office and ask them, that way you'll have it straight from the horse's mouth.