OK, comparison. In Victoria you get mailed[1] a licence renewal notice about 1-2 months before it expires. If you need an updated image then you have to go into VicRoads themselves or to a licence photo point in order to get a new photo taken. You have to bring your expiring licence, which must be within 6 months of the expiry date. Oh and money. They then send you out the new licence within the next week. (This is why you should do it before the old one expires!!)
If you don't need a new photo taken you can pay them online, by phone or send them a cheque and they will mail you out the new licence. Seriously.
Interstate and NZ drivers licences you can also do this with I think.
If your licence is over 6 months expired, then you have to make an appointment at VicRoads (pain in the arse!), and bring the expired licence as proof of ID. If you don't have it you have to provide 100 points of ID, with at least one photo ID. If it's expired by more than five years and you don't have an interstate or overseas licence that's less than 5 years expired you have to resit the test as well.
I realise part of this is demographics (Victoria has a population of ~4.5 million compared to Texas' 22.8 million) and part is due to Australian states not being mini-countries and sharing a lot more data. But geez Texas, get with the program and update your IT system!! Seriously!!
I can guarantee that it doesn't take a day to renew your licence here unless you've managed to let it lapse by more than 5 years. I've done it in 15 minutes on a Saturday morning before, and that included taking the photo.
[1] I notice though that VicRoads specifies that if you don't recieve said notice it's still your responsibility to renew your licence!!
Oh, we do get a notice about 6 weeks before expiration, but due to the nature of having to have several hours blocked off to wait in line, and having to go back a few times because I don't have all the papers...
We can also renew online, unless you renewed online last time (which I did), so they need a new photo, which is the only reason I'm bothering with this. Also, they give you a year past expiry to renew without having to take the driving test again.
Oh and the license offices aren't open on Saturday or Sunday. Monday 8am-7pm, Tuesday-Friday 7:30am-5pm.
Seriously, that is insane.
OK, comparison. In Victoria you get mailed[1] a licence renewal notice about 1-2 months before it expires. If you need an updated image then you have to go into VicRoads themselves or to a licence photo point in order to get a new photo taken. You have to bring your expiring licence, which must be within 6 months of the expiry date. Oh and money. They then send you out the new licence within the next week. (This is why you should do it before the old one expires!!)
If you don't need a new photo taken you can pay them online, by phone or send them a cheque and they will mail you out the new licence. Seriously.
Interstate and NZ drivers licences you can also do this with I think.
If your licence is over 6 months expired, then you have to make an appointment at VicRoads (pain in the arse!), and bring the expired licence as proof of ID. If you don't have it you have to provide 100 points of ID, with at least one photo ID. If it's expired by more than five years and you don't have an interstate or overseas licence that's less than 5 years expired you have to resit the test as well.
I realise part of this is demographics (Victoria has a population of ~4.5 million compared to Texas' 22.8 million) and part is due to Australian states not being mini-countries and sharing a lot more data. But geez Texas, get with the program and update your IT system!! Seriously!!
I can guarantee that it doesn't take a day to renew your licence here unless you've managed to let it lapse by more than 5 years. I've done it in 15 minutes on a Saturday morning before, and that included taking the photo.
[1] I notice though that VicRoads specifies that if you don't recieve said notice it's still your responsibility to renew your licence!!
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We can also renew online, unless you renewed online last time (which I did), so they need a new photo, which is the only reason I'm bothering with this. Also, they give you a year past expiry to renew without having to take the driving test again.
Oh and the license offices aren't open on Saturday or Sunday. Monday 8am-7pm, Tuesday-Friday 7:30am-5pm.
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