A couple of months ago I received the notice -- I needed to renew my driver's license. In NC, this requires going to a DMV location, taking a vision test, and all before the current license expires. I don't have to deal with an immediately upcoming election by which I want to have valid ID, but I have a similar challenge -- on Nov. 26, 2 days after my current license expires, I need to get on a plane to Wisconsin, for which I will need government issued picture ID. So I probably need a backup plan in case I somehow fail my driver's license renewal.
I figured I would need about a month to complete this task.
I'm a pretty high-functioning educated person -- you'd think I'd never ever get in a situation where I might not have proper ID. But as you'll see below, without the money to secure a quite expensive backup plan, I would have been screwed, even with over a month to plan.
Strikes I have against me that may make this more challenging:
-- I have crappy vision. It's correctable (though not to 20/20) with lenses but I'm always scared I will not pass the vision test on the weird little machines at the DMV.
-- My passport's also expired.
-- My birth certificate is old and the raised seal is rubbed down by wear, which I hear can be a problem.
-- The closest DMV office to me is the North Tryon office. Yeah.
Things I have going for me:
-- I haven't moved in 8 years.
-- I've never legally changed my name.
-- I have a job where I can arrange my time to deal with crap like this pretty easily.
-- I have a car that is working, and it's registered, inspection paid, taxes paid.
-- I have enough money that whatever this costs I can pay it and still make my mortgage payment and eat.
-- I have good impulse control and I don't tend to get angry or impatient when forced to wait in line.
Oct. 18 (1 month, 8 days before ID needed)
I started by placing an order for triplicate copies of my birth certificate to the State of WI department of vital records. To do this I needed: a computer (to access and print the proper forms), a checking account, $26, a valid non-expired photo ID, and other supporting forms of ID that could have included an insurance card showing my current address, or a major credit card. Also a working all-in-one to scan said documents and print a copy. My shiny new certificates of live birth (just like President Obama!) arrived about a week later.
I also called my eye doctor. Couldn't get an appointment until Nov. 7. That means new contacts will arrive by about Nov. 14, at which time I will be out of town at a meeting. I don't want to take my old drivers' license to the DMV and risk failing the vision test before I have to get on that plane to the meeting. The eye appointment will cost me $70 in co-pay and $30 in exam fees, and well north of $300, only partially reimbursable by insurance, for the hard gas permeable lenses I need for my crappy eyes. Plus a full afternoon off work.
I also checked with the DMV. It was already too late to get an appointment, so I'm going to have to wait in line with the rest of humanity.
Now I definitely need a backup plan to have valid ID for my trip on the 26th. And I'm going to have to have them expedite the processing so I get it in time.
Nov. 6 (18 days before ID needed)
Visited a passport processor near my workplace to take photos and get the rush application in. Since i'm lucky enough to work on a big college campus with a processing office nearby, I just had to walk across campus -- all of the forms were available and I could also get photos and buy a Priority Mail mailer all in one place. Total cost: 1 hour out of my day, $110 for the passport renewal, $20.60 for photos and shipping. And also $30 for a backup passport card and $60 for expedite charges, although I guess if I'd started planning 2 months in advance instead, I wouldn't have needed that.
Nov. 13 (11 days before ID needed)
Traveled using my existing driver's license.
As of today, the US Department of State had cashed my check for the expedited passport and passport card.
Nov. 18 (8 days before ID needed)
Had to leave work about 2 hours early to pick up the contact lenses when they came in. Now my eyes should be as good as they can get for the DMV vision test.
Nov. 19 (7 days before ID needed)
Went to the North Tryon DMV at 8:00 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. Passed the vision test. Was in and out in 12 minutes. Paid $32 for my new ID. BUT -- in this state now, the license is not instantly thermally printed for you in the DMV office. Is that NC rules or the new requirements to have licenses that can't easily be copied? I don't know, but it did not used to be so. Anyway, you have to wait 2 weeks before the license is mailed to you, and the temporary license that they give you is good for driving but not for identification. Fancy that. So despite all my careful planning ahead, if I hadn't splurged on the $200 for an expedited passport and passport card, I probably wouldn't be flying (or voting) next Tuesday.
Nov. 20 (6 days before ID needed)
Received my valid US passport from the Department of State.
Now I can legally fly (or vote). Mom and Dad get to see me at Thanksgiving. It only cost me a month of planning, $378.60 (plus whatever my contacts end up costing when I get the bill), and about 1 1/2 days off work and trips to three separate locations (DMV, passport processor, and eye doctor).
Tell me again how that's not a flippin' POLL TAX.