Enhanced drivers license

mojogunter wrote:

This is why I gave the warning, because I can’t imagine how many people are going to be turned away trying to fly somewhere in October because they either waited too long to apply for one, or claimed ignorance and show up with the MN standard DL. It most likely will be a crap storm. I filed for mine November 15th and I got it on Saturday.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>john23 wrote:</div>
My wife just did this. It took her 20 minutes to get the right documents together (including the name change info from when we got married) and less time than that at the DMV. Getting the right documents together is the only hard part so far as I can tell. I suppose she could complain that it will take two or three months to get the license, but that seems like not such a big deal since the change is still 9 months away.

I did everything just like your wife and they still messed mine up, so be ready to jump through some hoops.

A drivers license expires every four years. A passport card every ten. At $35.00 every ten years the passport card is a bargain for getting thru on asphalt ports of entry. Also valid on the ground in Canada, Mexico and American possession islands and military grounds.

Minnesota is a joke on drivers license renewal times for the enhanced. A regular drivers license renewal for Carole and I last fall put a new standard license in our hands in 8 days. We both carry the card passports.

Also, if you want to add your veteran status to your EDL, stop at your veteran affairs office first and ask for the paper that the DMV will need to add it. It is only if you were active duty and they will look up your DD 214 before signing off on the form.

Just be aware that the Enhanced Driver’s License is ONLY valid for land or sea travel into Canada, Mexico, etc. You STILL need to have a valid passport if you want to travel by AIR to these countries.

I was in last week to do the enhanced DL. If you read the directions as to what documents you need and follow them to the letter, it doesn’t seem to be any issue.

One big possible issue to be aware of. Make sure the address on any documents you bring as part of the requirements (utility bills, etc) matches EXACTLY the address on your current drivers lic. I’ve heard and/or read that some DMV offices will reject any document where the address doesn’t match. For example, my zip code spans cities, so some of my bills have been “corrected” so the city does not match the city on my DL. Just find another bill that matches.

I was in/out in 20 minutes last week, but they said currently it takes 6-8 weeks to get the license.

Grouse

mojogunter wrote:

This is why I gave the warning, because I can’t imagine how many people are going to be turned away trying to fly somewhere in October because they either waited too long to apply for one, or claimed ignorance and show up with the MN standard DL.

This whole thing was mandated starting in 2003. YES, 2003. Minnesota is one of the few states remaining that still isn’t compliant with this mandate of REAL ID by Homeland Security. That’s how long it has taken Minnesota to try and come into compliance.

You are correct, if you show up starting Oct 1 at the security line to get on a DOMESTIC flight without a REAL ID or your passport, TSA is not going to let you through. Don’t wait until September to try and get this figured out folks. If you have a valid passport and don’t mind using that for domestic flights, that will work.

Three trips for the wife and I. Although one time was for a special form from the VA, so that I could get my military status on my new drivers license. One other trip was because our marriage certificate was a copy, not original. Our passports had just expired just before this. Done and over now, and ended up being free, as they had changed our address #’s in the county.

Went in on Nov. 10, 2019. It was replacing a license that expired Dec. 27, 2019
I haven’t seen the new EDL or a letter saying there was a problem…

It took another 2 weeks after the website said it was processing applications on the date I submitted my application. Yours should have come last week or the week before.

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/real-id/Pages/license-id-card-processing-times.aspx

djshannon wrote:

Went in on Nov. 10, 2019. It was replacing a license that expired Dec. 27, 2019
I haven’t seen the new EDL or a letter saying there was a problem…

One thing that I found helpful was going online and pre-registering online before you go to the DMV. When you do that, there is a process where you can answer a couple questions about your needs and it will suggest what type of license you may need. Then it gives you drop down boxes to start selecting what document you are going to use for each criteria. When you are all finished it gives you a confirmation page and lists the documents that you need to bring along with you. This is what I did and I had everything I needed when I got there. They did tell me it would take 10-12 weeks for the card to arrive. And with a CDL you are not eligible to pay the extra $20 to expedite the new card, so if you have a CDL and need an enhanced license DO NOT wait until the last day if you may need to travel!

First off, you all are talking about three different types of licenses. As has been said, the standard license renewals take a few weeks or a little longer if you change something like your name. So keep that in mind when talking about wait times on licenses.

Everything you need to bring is required in order to meet federal (or international in the EDL’s case) guidelines, so keep in mind the state is just the middle man. Do a little research, read carefully and bring more than you need, you’ll be fine. For example, Mike W, you could get by with a certified birth certificate or valid passport, social security card, and for proof of residency your current MN DL (if it’s unexpired and has your current address), SSC and potentially either a mortgage document, last year’s tax returns, insurance policy (depending on when it was started) or professional license (if your occupation requires you to be licensed/certified by the state). Or just go get a checking account and use the latest statement.

In full disclosure, to the guy who had to go back in because they didn’t scan in his license, that was just them forgetting to do that the first time. And I 100% honestly, totally, sincerely, truthfully and there’s no reason at all you should doubt this statement for a second do not work for the state.

Renewed my Enhanced DL on 11/20/2019… was told 4-6 weeks and have not received a new ID or notification since then.

I know it’s coming but I just think it’s ridiculous that I have to carry around an expired ID and credential papers for over 2 months.

When I was a ND resident I walked into the DMV and walked out with a brand new ID within minutes.

tswoboda wrote:

Its easy to keep up with DL in ND – There is only about 5,000 residents in the state and only about 1/2 of them drive

I had to get my Mn license back, so I went enhanced. All this talk about “federal” makes me wonder why my enhanced DL from Hawaii did not just carry over to Mn ? So I wait for bills in my name to get my Mn enhanced… meanwhile The clock is ticking for deer hunting. I get my license applied for and go to get my deer archery license… non-resident, but I have lived here more than 60 days, sorry need the hard card DL… ended up paying non-resident rifle too. Got it late december, almost 3 months. Oh yeah, I also lost my motor cycle endorsement, evidently they changed the law that you have to retest on paper. I was not going back to the testing dmv for another 3 hours.

In Wisconsin just your old driver’s license isn’t adequate to renew your license – you MUST have a State certified birth certificate. How do you get a State certified birth certificate if you don’t have one with the OFFICIAL seal on it? Fill out a form and send them a copy of your old driver’s license……………

I feel SO much safer with that level of thinking in charge of our government.

Now wait until your state gets in a bind for money and they start selling all that info you’ve given them.

Which cards have a pentagram on them?

Did it this morning. Could not have been easier. No line (lucky) and 10 min tops.
Use their website to identify the correct documents and you will have no problem as long as you HAVE those documents. Ill bet some people dont have their SS card or birth cert.

The REAL ID deadline has been delayed by one year until Oct 1, 2021.

Applied Feb 10. Received April 13.

mojogunter wrote:

FYI don’t put it off if you’re going to get an enhanced license or real ID. It took over 2.5 months to get mine. The closer to the deadline the uglier it’s going to get I would guess.

Received mine in less than a week, gotta love Wisconsin