CA Renewal: Test needed?

[IPavlov]

My CA driving licence is expiring in a few days.
I wonder if written test will be required to renew it.
For some reason I didn't get renewal notice in the mail
so I don't know what to expect. CA DMV web site says
only that "test may be required, check your renewal
notice". I had TX driving licence before and had to pass
CA written test when getting CA licence. The CA
licence I was given was valid for three years only.
Is it usual in California to give driving licences for
shorter term? My Texas licence was valid for five or six
years.

IP.

[Mike T.]

Post by IPavlov
My CA driving licence is expiring in a few days.
I wonder if written test will be required to renew it.

If CA is anything like most states, if you let your current license expire,
you will need to take a written AND ROAD test to get a replacement license,
as you will be applying for a license as if you have never been
icensed. -Dave

[IPavlov]

Post by Mike T.

Post by IPavlov
My CA driving licence is expiring in a few days.
I wonder if written test will be required to renew it.

If CA is anything like most states, if you let your current license expire,
you will need to take a written AND ROAD test to get a replacement license,
as you will be applying for a license as if you have never been
icensed. -Dave

It turned out to be much easier, actually as second poster noted just a waste
of two hours, no written or driving test at all. It looks like they are just
after renewal fee of $26..

[Scott en Aztlán]

Post by IPavlov
My CA driving licence is expiring in a few days.
I wonder if written test will be required to renew it.
For some reason I didn't get renewal notice in the mail
so I don't know what to expect. CA DMV web site says
only that "test may be required, check your renewal
notice".

Any idea why you didn't get the renewal? Did you move without telling
the DMV, or is your postman an incompetent fuck like mine is?

I had a registration renewal mis-delivered a few months back. Whoever
received it returned it to the sender (the DMV) who never bothered to
re-mail the renewal forms. Instead, I had to go and waste a couple of
hours(*) of my time to perform the renewal in person at the DMV.

Post by IPavlov
Is it usual in California to give driving licences for
shorter term? My Texas licence was valid for five or six
years.

I think the usual renewal period in CA is ~4 years (might be rounded
up to your next birthday). In AZ, your license is valid until your
65th birthday - potentially you could have the same license for almost
50 years without needing a renewal.

(*) That was WITH an appointment; at the DMV, an "appointment" doesn't
mean you will be served at the appointed timel it simply means you get
to stand in a shorter line.

[IPavlov]

Post by Scott en Aztlán

Post by IPavlov
My CA driving licence is expiring in a few days.
I wonder if written test will be required to renew it.
For some reason I didn't get renewal notice in the mail
so I don't know what to expect. CA DMV web site says
only that "test may be required, check your renewal
notice".

Any idea why you didn't get the renewal? Did you move without telling
the DMV, or is your postman an incompetent fuck like mine is?

I think I know what happened: we moved and my wife did send dmv14,
change of address form, but she thought that the form is all about
the vehicles not about drivers, so she put her name there and data
about our two cars.. It looks like we had to send two forms one for
each driver. Is it correct?

Post by Scott en Aztlán
I had a registration renewal mis-delivered a few months back. Whoever
received it returned it to the sender (the DMV) who never bothered to
re-mail the renewal forms. Instead, I had to go and waste a couple of
hours(*) of my time to perform the renewal in person at the DMV.

That is what I had to do too, but mistake was mine.

Post by Scott en Aztlán

Post by IPavlov
Is it usual in California to give driving licences for
shorter term? My Texas licence was valid for five or six
years.

I think the usual renewal period in CA is ~4 years (might be rounded
up to your next birthday). In AZ, your license is valid until your
65th birthday - potentially you could have the same license for almost
50 years without needing a renewal.

It looks like a trick to collect extra revenue from renewal fees. When
I renewed today, no exam was required, just payment of $26

Post by Scott en Aztlán
(*) That was WITH an appointment; at the DMV, an "appointment" doesn't
mean you will be served at the appointed timel it simply means you get
to stand in a shorter line.

[Scott en Aztlán]

Post by IPavlov
I think I know what happened: we moved and my wife did send dmv14,
change of address form, but she thought that the form is all about
the vehicles not about drivers, so she put her name there and data
about our two cars.. It looks like we had to send two forms one for
each driver. Is it correct?

Yeppers.

[SD Dave]

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 10:47:18 -0800, Scott en Aztlán

Post by Scott en Aztlán

Post by IPavlov
I think I know what happened: we moved and my wife did send dmv14,
change of address form, but she thought that the form is all about
the vehicles not about drivers, so she put her name there and data
about our two cars.. It looks like we had to send two forms one for
each driver. Is it correct?

Yeppers.

Guys,

Thanks for reminding me I owe the DMV a form ASAP. I forgot I have to
renew this year.

If I have my mail forwarded, I assume stuff from the DMV is included?
Anyone have experience with that?

Dave

[IPavlov]

Post by SD Dave
On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 10:47:18 -0800, Scott en Aztlán

Post by Scott en Aztlán

Post by IPavlov
I think I know what happened: we moved and my wife did send dmv14,
change of address form, but she thought that the form is all about
the vehicles not about drivers, so she put her name there and data
about our two cars.. It looks like we had to send two forms one for
each driver. Is it correct?

Yeppers.

Guys,
Thanks for reminding me I owe the DMV a form ASAP. I forgot I have to
renew this year.
If I have my mail forwarded, I assume stuff from the DMV is included?
Anyone have experience with that?

I think CA driver handbook says something about their mail not being
forwarded, but returned to them instead. Maybe by doing this they want
to make sure that people get the correspondence only if they register
correct address. I also found that I need to renew the DL just by
accidentally looking at the expiration date.
Luckily it was just a couple of days after it expired.

IP.

Post by SD Dave
Dave