Where is Nathan??

The story of how I got a New York City driver’s license actually goes back to  Hangzhou, China circa March 2006 when my wallet was stolen on the bus. Inside that wallet was my Louisiana driver’s license. At the time I remember pondering when I would ever drive again. It turns out, I would borrow a car to drive to the store in Searcy, Arkanasas two years later. But that one instance is the only time I have driven a car since I moved to Hangzhou in 2006.

Then I moved to New York. Let me start out by saying I don’t need a driver’s license. I don’t own a car. But the truth is people look at you funny when they ask for ID and you give them a passport. Plus there’s also the possibility that if I travel to another part of the country to see somebody, they may not have the public transportation options that Manhattan has. So upon arriving to New York  I decided I wanted a license.

So if you find yourself moving to New York state and your Louisiana driver’s license has been stolen in a foriegn country 3 and a half years ago, here’s a handy guide to getting your license. *Warning: You may have to lie a little to accomplish this.

Get a duplicate Louisiana License

The great state of Louisiana does provide for the possibility that you may be outside of the state and lose your license AND you are unable to return to Louisiana to get it.

Step 1: Fill out “Temporarily Residing Out of State Application for Reconstructed Duplicate/Renewal License/ID Card” Form

You can find it here. Fill out the form with the address that is on your Louisiana license and your current address so they can mail you the replacement.

Step 2: Get a money order for $13.00 made payable to the Office of Motor Vehicles

The Louisiana department of Motor Vehicles does not accept personal checks or cash. They do accept certified check if that is cheaper or easier for you. My bank gives me money orders for free because they are awesome.

Step 3: Mail it to the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles and wait 1 – 3 weeks

Here’s the address:

Office of Motor Vehicles
Attention: Reconstructed License
P.O. Box 64886
Baton Rouge, La, 70896

The website will tell you to allow 7 – 10 days for your license, but mine took a little longer than that. I actually called them (1-877-368-5463) to ask them how it was going. I told my story to one of the lady’s on the phone who thought I was making a prank call. She passed me to another DMV person who told me that it was in the mail.

Step 4: Complete New York State Department of Motor Vehicles application form MV-44

You can download and print it out here (also available in Chinese and Spanish). Or you could wait until you get to the DMV and get the form and fill it out there. But let me seriously recommend doing anything you can to save time in the New York DMV.

Step 5: Go to your local DMV

If you live in Manhattan, don’t be confused. You can ONLY go to the Herald Square DMV.

Step 6: Get there as early as possible

They open at 8:30, you might consider arriving at 7:45.

Step 7: Wait in the first line

The first line is the main filter for all DMV traffic. After sucessfully traversing the majority of the first line, you will be approached by a DMV line stuart and she will ask you how they can server you today. After telling the stuart that you are there to exchange your out of state license, you will be asked to move to a second line. This line went pretty quickly for me, I think I was there for about 10 minutes.

Step 8: Wait in the Acceptable Out of State License exchange line

The second (and much longer) line gives you plenty of time to reflect on life, fill out the form you thought you were saving time by printing and filling out at home, complete the Sudokus you didn’t get to finish on the train,  jump the line and run to the bank downstairs to get cash because the DMV credit card machine broke, try to slip back into line without attracting too much notice because you know exactly how long those people have been waiting, hold the line for you wife/friend/partner in crime while they run to the bathroom, and then grow incredibly bored waiting in a line.  Estimated time : 1 hour.

Step 9: Wait for you number to be called

After completing the second line you will finally be called up to the counter to begin your paperwork process. There is a complex form of math that must be studied to understand what constitutes proof of identity/citizenship. But if you bring a passport and a social security card you can cover all of these requirements. If you don’t have a passport, you can read this 4 page document to figure it out.

Present the passport, the social security card, your Louisiana driver’s license, and your completed MV-44 form to the person behind the counter. When the person notices that your Louisiana license has only been recently issued and does not comply with the New York State rule that the license must have been issued more than 6 months ago, they will inform you that you need to contact the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles and aquire a letter from the department stating the original issue date and  printed on official letterhead. At this point you should point out that the issue date is slightly less than two months before the expiration date and “duplicate” is written in red letters across the top of the license. After they are completely unsympathetic and tell you there’s nothing they can do, you should recite the incantation “May I see your supervisor” which should clear up any further problems.

You will then be issued a number and instructed to wait until you see said number appear on the lighted board.

Step 10: Take an eye test and pay your money

After waiting an additional 30 minutes your number show appear on several lighted boards interspersed amongst the 24 service counters. Congratulations, you have made it to the final level!!! After submitting you paperwork for a second time, you will be asked to take a vision test that you can only fail if you are legally blind. You will then be required to pay $65.  You will then be issued a peice of paper with a barcode on it (and not a picture) to be used as a temporary license.

Step 11: Wait 2-3 weeks

After you have completed your trials and recieved your temporary license you will be informed that your license should come in the mail in two to three weeks.  It has been six days since I was at the DMV, so I still waiting to see how long it will be.

Step 12: See Update

I’m assuming that I will recieve my license in the mail and that will be the end of it, but who knows! That’s one of the great things about New York; taxes, fees, paperwork, hoops to jump through all come out of the blue and without warning. So I might have to fill out additional forms after I recieve my license, or appear in court to further prove my identity. So this adventure is still underway.

There you have it. Twelve simple steps to getting a driver’s license that you will only use once about once a year. If you have any further questions, please feel free to post them in the comments section.

Update:

I got my driver’s license in the mail yesterday (09.21.09) which means that it takes about a week. And despite my masochistic wish for more red tape, there are no further steps after you receive your license except to put it in your wallet and enjoy.

Yes, I am wearing a bow tie.

Update:

Attention ID Thieves:
I’ve had a change of address.