Thread: Life With an Expired Driver's License

Mine (Florida) is due to expire on my birthday (69). The last time it needed to be renewed, I was able to do so online; but now it requires an in-person visit. I've been car-free (this time) since returning to Florida, late-May 2012. I've had to rent a car twice, the last time was May 2016, and haven't driven since then (hell, I haven't even ridden in a car!). So, here's my question:

Q: Given that places tend to request photo-ID in order to do many things, do you find it easy, difficult, or impossible to do so with an expired driver's license?

It's not that I can't afford the $52 fee, or the $32 fee for a "walking-around" photo-ID card; it's that even if the DL is expired, I'm still me, and that's still my photo and my address -- nothing's changed. I'm not going to buy a car (can't afford one, even if I wanted to), and nobody's going to give me one; and, even if I had one, I couldn't afford the registration, insurance, and "care-and-feeding".

Should I bite the bullet, or let it expire in peace?

Originally Posted by JBHoren

Mine (Florida) is due to expire on my birthday (69). The last time it needed to be renewed, I was able to do so online; but now it requires an in-person visit. I've been car-free (this time) since returning to Florida, late-May 2012. I've had to rent a car twice, the last time was May 2016, and haven't driven since then (hell, I haven't even ridden in a car!). So, here's my question:

Q: Given that places tend to request photo-ID in order to do many things, do you find it easy, difficult, or impossible to do so with an expired driver's license?

It's not that I can't afford the $52 fee, or the $32 fee for a "walking-around" photo-ID card; it's that even if the DL is expired, I'm still me, and that's still my photo and my address -- nothing's changed. I'm not going to buy a car (can't afford one, even if I wanted to), and nobody's going to give me one; and, even if I had one, I couldn't afford the registration, insurance, and "care-and-feeding".

Should I bite the bullet, or let it expire in peace?

I would go ahead and do the full renewal. You never know when you might need it.

Id go and get a photo ID in your case. No need for a DL. If you try to use an expired ID you may find that some people actually look at them. Expired means its no good! It would suck to be somewhere and to be asked for an ID and to be told no becuase its expired when you and the other person knows its not a big deal. But no service still.

Its worth the effort in my opinion. But, with the Covid going on I bet some folks might let it slide for another few months.

Do you have a 'Carry Concealed' pistol permit or a passport? They are both Government issued forms of ID.

Originally Posted by bouschie

Do you have a 'Carry Concealed' pistol permit or a passport? They are both Government issued forms of ID.

Good point, there are other forms of Id,

I would do whatever is needed to have and carry a current, non expired, valid form of I.D.
Do what works for you. At least you have options.

Pete <:-}

You might check on that, mine was about to expire and here in California because of Covid they renewed it on line, without a new pic or having to go in.

Here in Ontario, we can renew online.

A driver’s license is the easiest to obtain and most useful form of government issued ID. It’s amazing how many store employees, bank tellers, etc. have no idea what the other forms of valid ID look like. I’d get one if I were you.

Fun factoid on the Ontario driving licenses, may be similar in other jurisdictions.
Ours is a 15 digit number. First five is your last name file number, last 6 are your date of birth. Mid four are the numbers that are actually ‘you’ in the database.
Once I figured that out it became very easy to memorize the number, just in case..
Also comes in handy when interviewing folks and not being able to ask their age,,hehe..

Originally Posted by DZEC

Here in Ontario, we can renew online.

A driver’s license is the easiest to obtain and most useful form of government issued ID. It’s amazing how many store employees, bank tellers, etc. have no idea what the other forms of valid ID look like. I’d get one if I were you.

My father in law is in long term care so obviously his driving license was never renewed, consequently he cannot use it as valid ID because only valid Driving licenses are allowed as ID (in Ontario at least).