Californians are able to renew online or through the mail. Even better than AAA or the DMV!

That's true, except I've exhausted my online renewals and have to go in this year -- I think I have to take the written test (I've had my drivers license for 43 years, and have never had a moving violation ticket, and only been in one accident, so I think I know the rules, but they also ask pretty detailed questions, so I'll study up. Fortunately I have an appointment, so I won't have to wait in line long).

DC you can do online and after a certain number of online renewals you must got to the DMV. also know that in MD you cannot renew thru the AAA.

Anyone know about the State of Washington? Seattle area?

Renewing a CA Drivers License through the mail or online is possible only if you don't need an address change or retest (usually due to medical conditions or being flagged for unsafe driving habits!) It still takes forever to get the new license back ( 60 days now).

sf7307, was your accident recent? that may be why they sent you for a retest.

No, the accident was 24 years ago!

We can't renew at AAA in Michigan but we can do it by mail every other time if we don't have any moving violations.

It never occurred to me that this was an option in MA.

Nope, not in NY - which is where the OP in the other thread was from...

Do AAA offices actually renew and grant CA drivers licenses, or do they just do the paperwork that the client (or driver) would normally submit to the DMW?

Hence a way of making money for AAA and saving the driver the time and energy of renewing their licenses?

Are we talking about driver licenses or identification cards thru the DMV?

Regardless of what the web sites say, I just spoke to a person at our local AAA via phone. She said you absolutely can NOT renew your drivers license through them. The reason is that it is a government issued ID and only the government can issue it, not a private corporation.

She said that AAA can do any and all services that you normally could do via mail for you. Such as transfer of car title, license plates,etc.

I asked if this was true for all AAA offices thruout the US and she said yes.

So if you wait until the last minute to renew an expired drivers license and call or go to the AAA offices you will not get a valid driver's license. You can only get one thru the DMV.

Nanabee,

The person you spoke to at AAA was right—about California. Obviously she is misinformed about the rest of the country (or else there was a misunderstanding between the two of you).

In some other states (such as Connecticut, where the OP lives) you CAN renew a license through AAA. After all, RENEWAL is something "you normally could do through the mail" (or via the Internet) in many states. Certainly AAA cannot offer driver's tests and issue first-time licenses!

For CT, MA, and RI, see the AAA Southern New England website

http://www.southernnewengland.aaa.co...s/registry.php

Licenses can be renewed and duplicate licenses and IDs can be issued through at least SOME AAA offices in those states.

So indeed AAA cannot issue you a license, but they CAN issue you a temporary renewal that is valid until you receive you new one in the mail. The state DMV and AAA must have some kind of agreement that allows this, or else AAA would not be doing it!

From the posts above, you will also see that in certain Florida cities the DHSMV actually has mini-offices AT AAA, so you certainly can do license renewals at those AAA locations. And in Nevada the DMV has kiosks at some (all?) AAA offices that allow you to renew licenses. So in some AAA offices in those two states, at least, you evidently can walk out with your actual new license.

I asked if this was true for all AAA offices thruout the US and she said yes.
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nanabee: you have it right for your state but that's not correct for others. Cranachin has given the correct information.