Really?

After experiencing the satisfaction of @ngie finally becoming a legal driver, I was inspired to share my own driver’s license saga.  I hope to have a similarly satisfying ending.

Getting the required paperwork for a NYS DL (New York State Driver’s License) has been an adventure in itself.  I had to get my divorce decree, change my name with Social Security, live somewhere long enough to get proof of residency, and more.  Believe it or not, each one of those situations has a ridiculous story of it’s own.

Nevertheless, the day came when I felt I was sufficiently prepared to tackle the only DMV office in NYC that allows out of state drivers to exchange their DL.   I had a completed application, a passport with my legal name, a social security card with my legal name, a few bills will my legal name and current address, an official copy of my divorce decree and my Texas DL.

I went to Herald Square, stood in line to find out which line to stand in.  I stood in that line and two hours after entering the building, I was told that they couldn’t process my application because the issue date on my TX DL was in an invalid format.

There is something called an audit number on the TX DL and the first five numbers are in YYDDD format.  So February 2, 2008 would show up as 08033, the 33rd day of the year.  I cried a little, just because everything I went through to get to that moment was simply ridiculous.

I emailed the State of Texas, and asked if they could send me a letter on official TX DMV letterhead that stated the issue date.  Sure!  I just needed to give them the name and fax number of an individual at the NY DMV.  Um….. yeah….. about that.  New York City is about as opposite of Texas as you can get.   This is no country DMV with 15 or so employees.  There aren’t even published numbers for each office.  There is one number for the New York City metro area.  So I asked if they could just mail it to me so that I could show up with all the proper documention in hand.

Nope.

So I found a place on line where I could spend $22 to purchase a copy of my DL record.  Fine.  I did it and was told to expect it in 5 business days.

Two weeks later, still nothing.  So I asked them to look into it.  It had been sent out 10 days prior, but never made it to me.  “Can you mail it to my work address?”, I asked.  Certainly….. for another $22.  They can only send another free copy if it’s sent to the originally requested address, which I’m obviously having problems receiving mail at.

Just 5 more business days and I should be ready to walk back into that Herald Square office.