A few months ago, I received my Virginia Driver's License. It took me 2 years, 3 months, required MULTIPLE visits, 46 hours of my time and SURGERY to accomplish this. It was ridiculous because I when I went to the Virginia DMV, I held a valid Florida Driver License and have never had a ticket or charged accident in my LIFE. I can understand why people go postal and kill everyone in the office after the experience I had to go through to get my DL from Virginia.
In Florida, you walk in and give them your out of state license, they check your vision, charge you $15 or so and you leave with a FL license in about a half an hour. I foolishly assumed that it would be the same in Virginia, alas this was not the case. I went the first time because my FL license was about to expire and I thought it would be a simple matter to get a Virginia license. I was very wrong. After 3 visits, I renewed my FL DL online with a credit card and had it sent to my VA home as I continued to go through the INCREDIBLE red tape required to get a license in Virginia. On my first visit, I didn't have the documents I needed. My FL DL was not enough to get me approved by the ASSHOLES running the DMV in Virginia, as I needed proof of residency. On my second visit, I brought along proof of residency, but then was told that I needed proof of citizenship. I left and wrote to the State of Florida for a copy of my birth certificate. When I got that, I went back to the VA DMV for the THIRD TIME with my birth certificate, deed to my VA house and my Florida DL. I was then informed that I needed my social security card which I hadn't seen since I memorized the number because the state of Virginia wouldn't accept the record that the state of Florida DMV had for my social security number. I went to the social security office to get a duplicate and was told that I couldn't get a duplicate SS card because my birth certificate was NOT proof of identity even though I never changed the number when I got married and the birth certificate was not enough to prove who I am. I then had to write off for my marriage certificates to get a social security card which took a while but I did get my social security card.
Armed with my documents, I returned to the Virginia DMV for the FOURTH time and was turned away because I missed the cut-off time by 3 minutes to be processed before closing time. At this point I said to myself, "SCREW THIS" and decided that I would simply continue to use my Florida driver's license for the rest of my life and for two years I continued to drive in Virginia without bothering to procure a VA license. Unfortunately I had to get a VA DL because of my work, so I gathered up all my documents and went back to the DMV for the FIFTH time and proceeded to fail the vision test since in the two years since I had first attempted to get a VA DL, the cataract in my right eye had progressed to the point that I couldn't pass the eye exam!!! I had the surgery, recovered beautifully and went back yesterday FOR THE SIXTH TIME and actually RECEIVED a VA DL. I nearly passed out when they actually gave it to me!!
My police officer boyfriend tells me that at least HALF of the people he stops for traffic violations do NOT have a valid license--and I don't blame them one bit!! If I had to do it all over again, I would move back to Florida before I would ever go through the incredible hassle of getting a VA license again. My license is good until my birthday in 2013 and I'm sure that I will have to start two years in advance in order to renew it before it expires. No wonder people go postal and kill everyone!! It was easier to get and renew my concealed firearm carry permit than it was to get a driver's license--UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Now the Communist Commonwealth of Virginia has passed a new law adding civil penalties to traffic fines where if you are convicted of a traffic offense, they charge you a minimum of $250 a year for THREE YEARS in addition to the fine! This is only applicable to Virginia residents, so if you have an out of state license, you don't have to pay the civil penalty. I now have an Illinois Driver's License. It took me 14 minutes and $10 to pass the eye test and receive the license. I'm never going back to Virginia!
The author, Teri Davis (Limo Barbie) owns and operates Dependable Limos. She has been nationally recognized by Limo Digest magazine for excellence in the field. Dependable Limos was first runner-up for Small Limousine Company of the Year for the United States in 2003 and nominated for Mid-size Limousine Company of the Year in 2004.
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