Does your State do this?

[mjkacmom]

For those whose kids licenses are expiring on their 21st is it that all licenses expire on the 21st in the state or is it just timing? Meaning they got their license at 16 with a 5 year expiration or 17 with a 4 year expiration for example?

Georgia has a renewal period of 8 years so there is no way a license would ever expire on someone's 21st.

The earliest kids can get their licenses here is 17, the written part of drivers Ed is a HS class, and either the HS or driving school sets up the appointment for the driving portion of the test on the students 17th birthday, so most licenses expire on the actual birthday. Mine does, and my husband’s does.

 

[Kae]

Yes but for turning 21 you have 30 days I think it is the only time it doesn't expire on your birthday. But you also have to renew in person You can renew at any branch in our state, not just the county you live in. And they mail it the address on the license so we took it to DD when we went to a football game.

 

[bcla]

I don't get why there should be a different renewal requirement depending on turning 21. I remember way back when it the photo on the left if one had already turned 21 and on the right if not, but that wasn't all that easy to figure out compared to horizontal vs vertical, which is the case now. I'm pretty sure that my first driver license was valid after I turned 21, so if I needed it I would just have to point out the age. I got my first license at 17, and I think it said "Provisional until age 18).

But these days they put everything on the license. I got my child a state ID at age 4. Couldn't even stand tall enough for the photo and they didn't have anything like a step stool, so I had to prop my kid up in order to reach the lowest point that their camera would slide along the mounting rail. But it will point out the year they turn 18 and when they turn 21. And that's the case for my kid who got it at age 4.

 

[bcla]

The earliest kids can get their licenses here is 17, the written part of drivers Ed is a HS class, and either the HS or driving school sets up the appointment for the driving portion of the test on the students 17th birthday, so most licenses expire on the actual birthday. Mine does, and my husband’s does.

Expiring on a birthday is typical, but at least in California it's valid for up to 5 years, even with a provisional driver license that loses the provisional status when one turns 18. My first driver license was up for renewal when I turned 22 since I got it at 17. And if I wanted to show that I was 21, I would have to make sure they checked my DOB.

Plus there are state IDs. Those are valid up to 6 years here with no minimum age to get one. I found it's actually legal in my state to have both a state ID and a driver license, although I'm not sure how they handle the number since they all get drawn out of the same pool of numbers. It is however illegal to have two Real ID compliant IDs at the same time, whether that's driver licenses in different states or a Real ID compliant driver license and state ID.

 

[JimMIA]

I checked with DD and her Florida license (issued when she was 16) doesn't expire until 2026, when she'll be 24. I knew mine didn't expire for 8 years, but that being her first regular license I thought it would expire earlier. Guess not.

 

[piglet1979]

We can only renew ours in person. This past year we just switched to the complainant ones, which get mailed to us. They put a punch hole in our expired license (we got them a few months after they technically expired do to the pandemic) and gave it back to us. They also gave us a paper to carry with it just incase we got pulled over or something.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So our State Driver's license and IDs are vertical for those under 21 and horizontal for those over 21 so that it is easier for bar tenders to see who is a minor. The problem is that my daughter is turning 21 and her license expires on her 21st birthday. Normally, you can apply for a renewal 60 days out and then send you a new one. Well just for those turning 21, you have to wait until 10 days before your birthday to apply for a renewal but then they said that the license can take up to 2 weeks to get mailed to you. We are flying out 2 days after her birthday and so if she does not get her new license, she will only have an expired one. What genius thought of this? They create this kind of issue for those turning 21, and I am sure that quite a bit travel for their birthday, all to make it easier for bartenders. Seems a bit silly.

The birthdate on the license remains the same. If she uses the pre-21 license for ID, just have them verify the actual birthdate. The vertical vs horizontal thing was just to make it easier to check for under 21s without having to actually look at the birthdate and/or do the math.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, vertical configuration if ISSUED when holder is under 21. So if issued the day before their 21st birthday, they will have to live with a vertical license for one day short of 4 years even though they are legal drinking age.
DD was in that situation and as she rarely goes out and has an alcoholic beverage, it wasn't an issue normally. We were all in a bar at Phoenix Airport (we live in California) waiting for our flight home and they would not serve her because the bar rule was, "vertical license, no service" even if the birth date shows the holder is 21. She just shrugged her shoulders and we moved on. A few minutes later the server came back, asked to see her license again, and took it to the manager. Manager came back with her license and the drink she had ordered on the house. He said the vertical licences are designed to get warn servers that this person may not be 21, but to check the date to be sure.

 

[Colleen27]

So our State Driver's license and IDs are vertical for those under 21 and horizontal for those over 21 so that it is easier for bar tenders to see who is a minor. The problem is that my daughter is turning 21 and her license expires on her 21st birthday. Normally, you can apply for a renewal 60 days out and then send you a new one. Well just for those turning 21, you have to wait until 10 days before your birthday to apply for a renewal but then they said that the license can take up to 2 weeks to get mailed to you. We are flying out 2 days after her birthday and so if she does not get her new license, she will only have an expired one. What genius thought of this? They create this kind of issue for those turning 21, and I am sure that quite a bit travel for their birthday, all to make it easier for bartenders. Seems a bit silly.

My state is the same - vertical license for everyone under 21 and it doesn't matter when you got your license, it expires on your 21st birthday. You also can't renew online or by mail for that first adult license, and the renewal window is shorter (the rest of us can renew up to 12 months early). DD20 is an RA at an out-of-state university so she has to be back to campus early enough that she'll be gone before her renewal window opens. I'm very glad she has her passport card to use on her 21st birthday trip, because my guess is that Disney is among the places that won't accept an expired license for alcohol sales.

Even for kids who don't travel for 21, I have noticed this system has cut down on the big 21st birthday blowouts. My son procrastinated and only applied for his a couple weeks before his 21st so he didn't have it in time and my bonus son applied as soon as he could but still didn't have it in time (in the covid era, delays are normal I guess), and they both found that a lot of places won't serve someone with the expired vertical license, even with the paper renewal documentation attached. And I've heard, though never verified, that for those with the enhanced ID (valid for land border crossings w/Canada - most states don't issue these) renewing even a day before 21 will get another vertical license issued, which would be a real headache at the places that don't serve anyone with a vertical license (mostly the casinos and stadiums, from what I've seen posted).

 

[Colleen27]

Yes, vertical configuration if ISSUED when holder is under 21. So if issued the day before their 21st birthday, they will have to live with a vertical license for one day short of 4 years even though they are legal drinking age.

That seems crazy to me, since in my state at least, there are late fees for waiting until after the expiration to renew. If they did this you'd have to pay that late fee to have a horizontal license or be left to the whims of businesses about whether or not you can buy alcohol until your next renewal at 26.

 

[mjkacmom]

That seems crazy to me, since in my state at least, there are late fees for waiting until after the expiration to renew. If they did this you'd have to pay that late fee to have a horizontal license or be left to the whims of businesses about whether or not you can buy alcohol until your next renewal at 26.

No late fees here, during Covid I had an expired license for over a year.

 

[mrodgers]

For those whose kids licenses are expiring on their 21st is it that all licenses expire on the 21st in the state or is it just timing? Meaning they got their license at 16 with a 5 year expiration or 17 with a 4 year expiration for example?

Georgia has a renewal period of 8 years so there is no way a license would ever expire on someone's 21st.

It's 4 years in PA, so if you got yours at 16, you're getting it renewed before your 21st birthday and will have said vertical license for 3 years after you turned 21.

That is assuming the vertical positioned license is due to the age of alcohol purchase as I am only making an educated assumption based on other people stating that it is that way in their state.

 

[mrodgers]

My daughter just turned 21 on Monday and is at school in another state. She went to the DMV on December 27th to renew. She received a paper copy and can use her old license with the paper copy until her new one comes. We are still waiting on the new one. She also has her passport to use when she goes out. Of course she also has her sister's ID as well.

OK, I'll bite. Why would she have her sister's ID?

 

[bcla]

We can only renew ours in person. This past year we just switched to the complainant ones, which get mailed to us. They put a punch hole in our expired license (we got them a few months after they technically expired do to the pandemic) and gave it back to us. They also gave us a paper to carry with it just incase we got pulled over or something.

There's generally been no requirement to go in person in my state unless it's required for one reason or another. I had my driver license renewed by mail for years, and I kept the same photo that was taken when I was in my 20s for about 20 years. They finally sent a renewal saying I had to come in person for a new photo. I could have renewed by mail or online the last time, but wanted to get a Real ID compliant DL so I had to come in person with the proof of legal status (could be a birth certificate, passport, or green card) and they took a new photo. However, my wife didn't feel like going in to get a Real ID version (she has a passport and passport card anyways) so she just renewed online.

 

[Colleen27]

For those whose kids licenses are expiring on their 21st is it that all licenses expire on the 21st in the state or is it just timing? Meaning they got their license at 16 with a 5 year expiration or 17 with a 4 year expiration for example?

Georgia has a renewal period of 8 years so there is no way a license would ever expire on someone's 21st.

In Michigan, they all expire for the first time at 21 regardless of when you first got your license. My older kids both waited until they were over 18 and therefore didn't have to take drivers' ed, but their licenses expire on their 21st birthdays same as those of friends who started driving at 16.

For everyone over 21, licenses are valid for 5 years.

 

[kdonnel]

OK, I'll bite. Why would she have her sister's ID?

My guess would be to get into bars and buy booze.

 

[tvguy]

There's generally been no requirement to go in person in my state unless it's required for one reason or another. I had my driver license renewed by mail for years, and I kept the same photo that was taken when I was in my 20s for about 20 years. They finally sent a renewal saying I had to come in person for a new photo. I could have renewed by mail or online the last time, but wanted to get a Real ID compliant DL so I had to come in person with the proof of legal status (could be a birth certificate, passport, or green card) and they took a new photo. However, my wife didn't feel like going in to get a Real ID version (she has a passport and passport card anyways) so she just renewed online.

California requires you to get a new photo every 10 years. That is the only reason I had to go into DMV to renew my license. No test, just a new photo.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes, vertical configuration if ISSUED when holder is under 21. So if issued the day before their 21st birthday, they will have to live with a vertical license for one day short of 4 years even though they are legal drinking age.
DD was in that situation and as she rarely goes out and has an alcoholic beverage, it wasn't an issue normally. We were all in a bar at Phoenix Airport (we live in California) waiting for our flight home and they would not serve her because the bar rule was, "vertical license, no service" even if the birth date shows the holder is 21. She just shrugged her shoulders and we moved on. A few minutes later the server came back, asked to see her license again, and took it to the manager. Manager came back with her license and the drink she had ordered on the house. He said the vertical licences are designed to get warn servers that this person may not be 21, but to check the date to be sure.

Because of when I got my license my expired on my 22nd b-day. In my state the direction does change for those 21 and older but your license is still valid if you are 21 and older with a different license direction. I'd be complaining to someone about not being allowed to use a valid DL so glad that the manager got involved.

 

[kymom99]

I just looked it up. In ky they expire 90 days after the 21st birthday.

 

[Colleen27]

Because of when I got my license my expired on my 22nd b-day. In my state the direction does change for those 21 and older but your license is still valid if you are 21 and older with a different license direction. I'd be complaining to someone about not being allowed to use a valid DL so glad that the manager got involved.

I'm pretty sure AZ is one of the states that tried implementing a law excluding vertical licenses from the list of acceptable proof of age for those 21+. I think it was AZ and TX, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I caught an article about it in some travel group or another when one of the states added an exemption for out-of-state visitors because the policy was negatively impacting tourism venues due to other states having different policies that don't replace the vertical license immediately when the holder turns 21.