Expired Driver's License Still A Pain, But...

State Rep. Randy Terrill and State Senator Cliff Aldridge today praised the Department of Public Safety for simplifying the process for people to renew expired driver's licenses.

"The people of Oklahoma do not want the state to issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens," said Aldridge, R-Midwest City. "At the same time, however, citizens do not want to be needlessly inconvenienced. DPS' actions have ensured that we are responding to the will of the people on both counts."

Due to the passage of House Bill 1804, Oklahoma's omnibus immigration reform law, individuals with an expired driver's license must now provide proof of legal presence in the United States - for citizens, typically an original, certified birth certificate - before they can renew an expired driver's license.

As a result, individuals with an expired license have had to obtain a copy of their birth certificate and take it to the Department of Public Safety for verification before obtaining a license at a tag agency. However, DPS will soon allow tag agents to examine and verify birth certificates onsite, eliminating the hassle created by an initial administrative interpretation of the new law. As a result, most drivers will once again be able to renew a license by visiting just one office.

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