I am so excited about my success at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), that I decided this news was worth sharing with others: I succeeded in quickly and easily getting my California “Real ID” done! I suspect what worked for me would also work for gals in all of the 50 US states too. Now I want to tell everyone how to avoid the problems that plagued others who tried to do this. I want everyone to enjoy this success.
For two years I have read painful stories in the newspaper about this ID. By May 2023, all California drivers must have this ID and likely the other 49 states have a similar new ID requirement. So the scary stories added to my concerns, knowing I would soon have no choice but go out and suffer the way I heard others suffered. Applicants waited for hours at the DMV only to have their application rejected, because they lacked the right paper work or documents. I even met people who told me this in person.
I give God credit for my success, because he must have had pity on all the rejected applicants and allowed the DMV to recognize their error. Their website needed to be updated, so people could pre-apply online and find out which documents the DMV would accept before they got there. Now a gal can apply online, upload the suggested documents, and find out if these are acceptable items instead of going in person, waiting hours and having the documents rejected.
Applicants need to create a DMV account, but before you worry about cyber security, (sadly) remember the DMV itself stores all your documents online. Whether you do this from home or they file your documents there, all this data goes online. OK, next, a gal needs one government issued photo id. The website gives suggestions. Apparently the ideal document is a passport (so I used mine). Next she needs to show two documents mailed to her home address from a publicly recognized corporation. They suggest certain types of corporations. From their list, I chose a bank statement and an insurance bill. Your name and address on these documents have to match. You are allowed to block out the account number and any other private numbers (member id, etc.). In case they wanted to make sure the document was not adulterated, I cut a slit off a post it note and covered the numbers I wanted hidden. Then the clerk could move the post it note if he needed to do so (but he did not need to when I got there).
To upload the documents, you might get away with taking a screen shot (photo), but I tried that and they were too blurry. So if you don’t have a scanner, borrow your friend’s and then email the scanned documents to yourself. Once you have these 3 documents scanned, you can upload them to the DMV website. They request a mobile phone or email so they can tell you if they accept the documents (the first time they rejected my 3 blurry docs). Once they accepted my documents, the website told me to find my nearest DMV office and schedule an appointment. I chose 3pm on a Tuesday, but if you can choose 1pm or 2pm the line will likely be shorter (it got really long behind me, but there was only one woman in front of me when I went). They tell you to bring the originals of the documents you scanned.
I found a parking place in the DMV overflow lot which was still quite close to the door (but they have very close handicapped parking places). I was seven minutes early, and in about that much time I waited in the “appointment” line until they called me. They processed my original documents, and sent me inside, where I only waited about 30 more minutes.
I went to three “windows,” the first for verifying the info and original documents, testing my vision and for paying the $39.00. At this window they ask if you want just the ID, just your driver’s license renewed, or both. I asked for a document that allows both (a driver’s license and the “Real ID” in one card). At the next window, they took my photo. I have to warn gals, take your time at home before going to the DMV. Brush your hair, put on make up, jewelry or whatever makes you feel pretty. I have heard so many stories of gals rushing off to the DMV wearing a torn or stained shirt, or with their hair tangled, or their make up smeared, or any number of things and then regretting having to look at that photo every time she offers her driver’s license for identification. This is not to push vanity, just that I wanted to feel comfortable with how I looked in the photo, and I want to encourage gals to do whatever feels natural and comfortable before having the photo taken.
Finally, at the last window they gave me a paper copy called my “temporary” ID. The plastic version will come in 1-2 weeks.
I was at the DMV for less than an hour and got it done! No more horror stories for us! Go online and then savor the success of having this done!
Here is the link for applying online: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/dl-id-online-app-edl-44/ If you cannot open this link, just type in “apply for DMV online” and a Google or other search engine will find the link for you.
There is one last note I did not want to post, as I have to admit to a failing. I felt the Lord urging me to share the Gospel with the first clerk at the first window. He reminded me of my former high school students. He was bright, cheerful and hard working. I talked to him and asked him questions about his life’s goals. All I said as I left (besides telling him I knew there were good things in his life and how impressed I was with his kindness and work ethic) was that I wished him well.
I felt such sadness, but at home I realized I could still contact him. I wrote a letter to this DMV office, and I addressed it to him! I had asked his name, and he was allowed to give his first name and had clarified it has an unusual spelling, which he told me. So I know my letter will go right to him. I told him I was sad I had not told him I wanted to pray for him and that I not only prayed for him, but also wanted to write the prayer in my letter. I prayed for God’s blessings and I mentioned certain areas where I had prayed for those blessings. I also told him I prayed he would know that Jesus died for his sins and loves him. I added some other prayers and then ended the letter. God used my (sinful) reluctance to enable me to actually share more about the Lord and to encourage this young man, specifically, in the Lord. I am so thankful God uses us, even when we sin and repent.
I know this was a very practical post, and I hope you are OK with me writing something about every day life instead of how something impacted me in God’s grace. Sometimes I want to share victories, even practical ones, so I can encourage others, especially if you heard the stories of Real ID failures and discouragements and you needed the good news I enjoyed this month. May God bless you this week!