Baby, you can drive my car

May 31, 2012 6:29 PM

How long does it take to get an NJ drivers license?

I'm moving back to NJ (from TX) and I'm going to change my drivers license back. I will be in NJ for two weeks, but will then be out of the country for 6 more weeks. I'd like to have a license with me when I go (id purposes), though I suppose it isn't essential.

When I moved to TX I was surprised with the piece of paper that they gave me and called a license until they mailed me the actual card. When I've renewed in NJ before they just printed out and handed me a new card.

When I go to the NJ DMV, will they give me a new license that day, or will they mail me a new one?

Thank you!

posted by raccoon409 to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total)

I renewed my NJ license in September. They gave me my license right there. NJ went digital with their licenses not very long ago, so your experience was probably with the old system. If you have any choice of which MVC office to go to, I recommend the most rural you can find to avoid a long wait. I drove 15 minutes out of my way and was in and out in about 20 minutes. It would have probably taken 2 hours if I had gone to the office that's 2 miles from my house.

Be sure to bring adequate identification.
posted by ellenaim at 6:45 PM on May 31, 2012

Response by poster: ellenaim: I've received my renewed NJ license the same day, but I'm wondering more specifically about coming in with a TX license and hoping to leave with a NJ one.
posted by raccoon409 at 6:52 PM on May 31, 2012

As long as you bring the right I.D., you will walk out of there with an actual plastic, digitally printed license. (I live in NJ.) I can't imagine why they'd mail it to you.
posted by Aquifer at 7:22 PM on May 31, 2012

Best answer: Last year I walked in with a PA license and walked out with a Jersey license. I would just say to bring multiple copies of ID that they take. The DMV office did not accept my original signed lease as per the documents.
posted by Nackt at 7:23 PM on May 31, 2012

Make sure you have the right documents as per their 6 point system. One of the things you'll need is a proof of residency which might be tough based on your circumstances.
posted by pyro979 at 7:28 PM on May 31, 2012

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. I'm returning to using my parents' address before I leave the country, so I still have bank account that will work for proof of address and a multitude of other id's.

Aquifer: I thought the same thing walking into the TX DMV. To my surprise I spent the next 3 weeks with a piece of paper in a ziplock bag as my "license." I know that they NJ system is digital, but I was unsure if that was true for an out of state license as well. I think part of mailing it was to prove you actually lived in TX.
posted by raccoon409 at 7:33 PM on May 31, 2012

Is there any reason why your passport wouldn't suffice for ID out of the country? Depending on where you go, your driver's license may not be worth much of anything.
posted by hoyland at 7:35 PM on May 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If you have the right number of documents establishing your identity (based on their point system), you will be issued a new license on the spot. I found this to be true when I surrendered my TXDL after moving to NJ.
posted by jph at 8:08 PM on May 31, 2012

Best answer: Somewhat of a side note, but yes, Texas still does it the way raccoon409 remembers. I just came back from renewing my license yesterday, and am currently rocking the sketchy looking piece of paper license until my real once comes in the mail.
posted by internet!Hannah at 9:59 PM on May 31, 2012

Response by poster: Gotland: I like to have 2 pieces of I'd, just in case one gets lost or stolen.
posted by raccoon409 at 7:40 AM on June 1, 2012

Response by poster: Ughh autocorrect. THat should have said "hoyland" not "gotland"
posted by raccoon409 at 10:15 AM on June 1, 2012

Photocopy your passport. Keep the copy somewhere separate from everything else. Admittedly, the embassy would appreciate your driver's license as well, but they're probably thrilled to bits when someone who needs an emergency passport actually shows up with a photocopy.
posted by hoyland at 7:38 PM on June 1, 2012