Mexican Driver’s License

The title of this entry should probably read, “Maximum Procrastination.”

Years ago, before I bought the ranchito and I was renting a house in Col. San Antonio, I thought that I should get a Mexican Driver’s license. After all, I’d bought a used Pathfinder, I was driving more in Mexico than I was in the U.S., it just made sense.

But I was certain that I was going to need to study. My Spanish was not nearly good enough to “wing it” on an exam.

At the time I had an attractive 20-year-old Mexican personal assistant. (Actually, he was a straight twink friend who had borrowed money and couldn’t pay it back so he was working it off as a translator. He more than covered his debt just by what he saved me on the car registration, but that is another story.) I sent him into the local version of the DMV to get a book so I could study. When he returned with the book he told me that they only had one and weren’t willing to give it up. He convinced them to let him borrow the one and only study book, so that we could copy it and return the original. (I never would have thought of that.) So we did.

The copy of the book sat on my desk for five years.

A few months ago I was filing paperwork and came across the study book once again. And it made me wonder, “When does my California license expire?” I checked the date, December 10, 2009. A sense of urgency began to arise.

For weeks I’d put on my calendar, “Study Mexican License,” and then I’d skillfully move it forward to the next day, or week. A couple of times I flipped through the book, looking mostly at the pictures. By this time I could get the gist of the text but I was still worried about taking the exam. Back into the in box the book would go.

Friday, with less than a week before my U.S. license was to expire, I thought, “Just go take the test. Even if you fail you’ll know what it is about and what you need to study or ask someone. Then you can take it again; and again, until you pass.”

I went to the DMV office to find it closed. So I went to another office, the one where I pay my car registration, and asked where I could apply for a “licencia de manejo.” They explained that the offices had moved and were now across from the General Hospital (actually near the ranchito at the top of town).

I arrived at the offices to find that there was a 2:00 PM cut-off time for driver’s licenses. But a man from behind the desk told me what I’d need: My passport, FM3 (residency visa), three months of utility bills and a letter from a doctor saying that I was fit to drive. I also thought I heard him say that if I didn’t want to take the test, I could give him my U.S. driver’s license. I hoped I understood correctly.

I left the office and immediately called a Doctor friend of mine who told me to meet him at his office in 20 minutes. After giving him my blood type, confirming that I was not on any medications and was willing to be a blood and organ donor, I left with my certificate.

Prior experience registering the Pathfinder, led me to believe that I was going to need to be armed with copies. The man at the DMV didn’t say copies, but I knew. And since I don’t receive mail at the ranchito, my utility bills don’t reflect my address, they reflect the address of the bank where they are paid. So in addition to copies of my passport, FM3, utility bills and the doctor’s note, I took a copy of my property tax bill.

On Monday I went in armed with all my documents, originals and copies. The line was only a couple people deep and within minutes I was in process. I completed a form, answered a couple questions (yes, I need my glasses to drive, etc.) and prepared to take an eye exam. Not necessary. They took my California license (which I didn’t really mind since it was only valid for another four days) and the copies that I brought and directed me to a seat with a camera. When it was all done, they gave me a three page receipt and told me that I had to go into town to pay and then return for my license. I was given a choice between a one year, three year or five year license, all with different price points. I took the five year which was the equivalent of about $50 USD.

In to town I went, parked, walked, paid, walked again and returned to the offices at the top of town. (Typical DMV efficiency; apparently it translates across borders.)

So now I have a Mexican driver’s license and feel just a little bit more Mexican. You won’t see a copy of it here, not just because of identity theft risk, but also because it is the worst photo in driver’s license history.