Texas The 2018 MVR Access and Decoder Digest …

1 Texas The 2018 MVR Access and Decoder Digest 658 Texas Administration Important Telephone and Web Contact Amanda Arriaga, Division Director Driver License Division Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) PO Box 4087 Austin, TX 78773-0001 512-424-2600 Whitney Brewster, Executive Director Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Central Administration 4000 Jackson Ave. Austin, TX 78731 888-368-4689 Driver Licensing, CDL, and Records .. 512-424-2600 Conviction Reporting ..512-424-2031 SR-22 and Financial Responsibility .. 512-424-2600 Failure to Appear Enforcement and Compliance Services .. 512-424-2600 (Fax 512-424-2848) Driver Responsibility 800-688-6882 Department of Motor 512-424-2000 Department of 800-578-4677 Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) .. 512-424-2000 Emails for DPS at: Emails for Motor Vehicles at: Texas Statutes & Transportation Code: Motor Carrier Rules and Notices: Administrative Code Title 43 Transportation: $ Driver's License Format, Issuance, and Renewal License Classes, Restrictions, and Endorsements Appear Later in This Chapter License Format The format is eight numbers, beginning with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

2 (Use of the number 4 started in late 2015) License numbers are sequential and computer-generated. Document Appearance The current driver licenses and identification cards, redesigned with new and enhanced security features, were put into production April 15, 2009. The prior driver licenses and ID cards are still valid and will be phased out as they expire. An abbreviated description of the new documents is shown below. Texas was granted REAL ID compliance as of August 14, 2017. Texas issued DL and ID cards issued after October 31, 2016 are compliant. Cards issued prior to that date will be accepted for official purposes until October 1, 2020. Current Documents License has digital photo with state capitol in light blue on right side on a beige background, with Texas at the top left side in blues Security Characteristics: At this time, the agency has deferred from describing the security features.

3 Position of Photo: Photo is located on the left side. Minor Age Driver Locator: This driver license is presented vertically and reads Under 21 DL on the top in red and under 21 until MM/DD/YYYY next to the photo CDL Indicator: License reads Commercial Driver License in brown on top. Limited Term Indicator: License reads Limited Term underneath the term Driver License or Identification Card on the header bar. Identification Card Indicator: Identification card reads Identification Card in green on top. Occupation License Indicator: Occupational reads Occupational License in black on top. Donor Designation: Red heart appears at the bottom right hand corner of license. DPS Audit number: Listed on the bottom of the driver license and identification card in blue. Registered Sex Offender Indicator: None Veteran Designation: Honorably discharged veterans may elect to have a Veteran designator on their driver license or identification card.

4 VETERAN is printed in black ink under the expiration date. Disabled Veteran Designation: Per 2017 legislation, this indicator will be added to the license document sometime in 2018. It will be available for service-connected disability with a VA certified rating of fifty percent. Older Documents License has digital photo with state capitol featured on a beige background, with Texas at the top in red and DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY in blue below. A color bar is displayed in the header behind Texas . Security Characteristics: Security laminate has Texas printed in metallic ink across the entire face of the card, Texas will glow green under ultraviolet light. There is a bar code, magnetic strip and endorsement/restriction codes printed on back. Position of Photo: Photo is located on the right side; the DPS audit number appears along the side of the photo and the director's signature falls halfway on the beige background on the top of the photo.

5 Minor Age Driver Locator: Vertical format license with forward facing photo at bottom right. For ages 18-21, under 21 driver license is printed in red across the top; if CDL, under 21 commercial DL is brown. Also, under 21 until (MMDDYY) appears in red on first detail line of license. For ages 16-18, provisional driver license is printed in purple across the top. CDL Indicator: COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE appears in brown in the header line. CDL appears in text next to the eight-digit license number. Issuance Residency Requirements To be eligible for a Texas driver license or identification card, the applicant must be a resident of or domiciled in Texas . New residents must secure a Texas license 90 days after entry into the state and surrender any driver license from the prior state of residence.

6 The 2018 MVR Access and Decoder Digest Texas 659To verify Texas residency, an individual must present two documents, see for non-CDL holders. For domicile requirements for commercial licenses see For documents related to lawful presence requirements see the page at Age Requirements The minimum age for a Regular License is 18; 16 with completion of approved driver education course. Texas has a graduated license program. A Learner License can be issued at 15 upon the completion of at least 6 hours of classroom instruction of driver education; and must be accompanied by licensed driver age 21 or over. The restriction "B" (for an accompanying licensed driver) will not be removed until an individual reaches the age of 16, has held a Learner License at least 6 months and completes the behind the wheel instruction of driver education and has passed a driving test, or has applied for a MRDL (Minor's Restricted Driver License), or has turned 18 years of age and has passed a driving test.

7 If over the age of 18, driver may remove the "B" restriction once the road test is passed. If between ages 18 and 24, driver must complete an adult driver education course. A Provisional License may be issued at 16: must have held a Learner License at least 6 months and completed behind-the-wheel instruction of Driver's Ed. During GDL Phase II, the minor is restricted until their 18th birthday to: 1) No more than one non-family member passenger under 21. 2) No driving after midnight and before 5am unless driving is necessary for employment, school or school related activity or medical emergency. When an individual is accompanied by a licensed operator age 21 or over in the front seat, the driver is not limited to the hours of operation or number of passengers. 3) No operating vehicle when using a wireless communication device, including cell phones.

8 A Learner License is issued to a person, under the age of 18 and valid until the person s 18th birthday. A Hardship License can be issued at 15 until 18, under necessary conditions. Renewal There are four ways to renew a driver license or ID card: online, by phone, by mail or in person. Individuals must renew in person every other time to update their picture. CDL holders must renew in person. Since 01/01/02, all renewals, with the exception of commercial driver licenses and limited term licenses, are issued for 6 years. Commercial licenses are issued for 5 years, and limited term licenses are issued for the length of lawful presence up to 6 years. Driver keeps same number when renewing. All drivers who renew in person, regardless of age, must take and pass a vision exam. Non-CDL renewal and address changes are available online at Non-CDL renewal is available by phone at 866-357-3639.

9 Address changes are not available by phone. Military personnel may renew their expired TX licenses by mail. Upon renewal, military personnel may be assigned a new driver license number. Although licenses carried by military personnel are legally valid, they may be purged if not renewed within two years of expiration. Elderly-Related Restrictions Since September 1, 2007, state law requires drivers age 79 or older to visit a driver license office in person and prohibits renewing a driver license by alternative means such as by mail or through online services. Additionally, drivers age 85 or older receive a two-year renewal instead of the standard 6-year renewal. Vehicle Insurance, Title, and Registration Facts Registration Renewal Renewal is set on a 12-month basis and can be done in person, by mail, or online ( ). Vehicles must first pass an inspection. Counties and cities have the ability to enforce a program to block registration to those who have not paid municipal traffic fines; county fees, fines, or taxes; or toll fees.

10 New Residents New residents must title and register their vehicle(s) within 30 days of establishing residency ( ). Inspections and Emissions Testing Most Texas registered vehicles are required to receive an annual inspection administered by the TX Department of Public Safety (DPS). Visit for details on criteria and locations. Emissions Some vehicles are required to have an emissions test in addition to the safety inspection, if registered in one of the 17 designated counties listed below, and are between 2 and 24 years old, or upon expiration of the two-year initial inspection. Diesel powered vehicles and motorcycles are exempt from the emissions standards, but are still required to have the annual safety inspection. Designated emissions testing counties are: Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson.