Before you wait in line to get at the Department of Driver Services you may want to stop by the probate court first.
New requirements to renew your driver's license are frustrating many people, especially women.
Some people assume a divorce, marriage or a name change has no affect on your trip to the DDS, but it does. If you don't have the proper documents, you won't get what you came for and unfortunately it's happening a lot.
Lucille Carter had a frustrating day. "It's never happened to me before it's never happened to me before," said Lucille Carter.
That's because after waiting at the DDS, she found out she couldn't get what she came for.
"They told me the only way I could get my license was if I went to the courthouse first to get my marriage license," said Carter.
Something that's now required for married couples renewing a driver's licenses. She's worried if her trip to the courthouse will even be worth the effort it takes to get there. "It was some years ago and I don't even know if they have a record of it down at the courthouse," said Carter.
Probate Judge Nancy Stephenson says unfortunately she sees too many people like Lucille.
"There was one man who said either we need to move the courthouse to that office or they need to move the drivers license office over here, he was tired of going back and forth," said she said.
Traffic has increased by 50 percent at the probate court because of the documents required to renew or get a licenses, and the majority of those people wait in line at the DMV first.
Here are some tips to help you avoid a wasted trip to the DMV, for one, you need a certified copy of your birth certificate. "This office can give anyone a birth certificate who was born in the state of Georgia with a few exceptions," said Stephenson.
You also need a copy of your marriage license, men included. "The confusing thing about that one is some people don't remember they got their marriage license in a different county then they got married in," said Stephenson.
She's also seeing a lot of problems with spelling. "One woman has misspelled her name her entire life. She didn't realize it didn't have an E on the end so she has to go through the process of amending her birth certificate before getting their drivers license renewed," said Stephenson.
If you are divorced you need your divorce decree and if you change your name you need a copy of that order too.
Some other things the judge is running into people who have been using another name as their first name than the one listed on their birth certificate.
CLICK HERE for more information on what you need before heading to the Department of Drivers Services.
If you don't have the internet, you may want to call the DDS before you make a trip there.
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