Adventures in Paradise – a.k.a. Getting a VI Drivers License
So I typically try to play by the rules. But I also am a
terrible procrastinator, so this time I decided to break that chain of putting
things off and take care of getting my Virgin Islands driver's license as soon
as possible. The law says that you need to get it within 90 days of residency (
how was I to know that many people say they only live here part time if or when
they are pulled over?) !
Trip one- inquire about what is needed to transfer license!
I think I understand completely and got the lady behind the glass window to
smile, so I am happy and now on a mission.
The first thing a local did tell me was don't surrender your
Florida license before getting a duplicate because the states don't recognize
the VI license as real, and if you go back to the mainland, you will have to
start the process all over and take the driving test required of 16 year olds!!
( Cost is $25 in Florida to get the duplicate- just say you lost it and it can be
done via the Internet!) Check!
I needed two forms of ID that include my physical address. This is more
difficult than it sounds as we rent a house and all my bills are in the
landlord's name. But I get a copy of my lease as well as my car insurance and
think I got it. I am good to go without any procrastination!! (Hahaha!)
Visit 2 - the lovely (non smiling)woman told me I needed my leased notarized!
Really isn't a lease that is a binding contractual agreement solid enough to
say I live somewhere???
Visit 3- lease notarized - check! Go in and I forget the damn car insurance - I
take full responsibility for this one, however while I am there the huffy, eye
rolling woman behind the glass window tells me I need my eye exam and blood
type as well, and need to do this at the clinic. I asked if I know my blood
type do I have to get it verified.
" NO!"
Have a good day woman I will really dislike soon!!
Go to clinic- they say “where is your paperwork for the eye exam???” Are you
flipping kidding me? – breathe - Lamaze
type deep breaths!!
Visit 4- with a smile on my face I go back to the BMV to get the paperwork
for my vision test so I can go back to the clinic for my 2:45 scheduled appt, AND - what do I find out from a kind
of semi-social woman behind the glass partition? You don't need a
vision test when surrendering your stateside license, just when getting a
new VI license. Cancel clinic visit and have a drink!! ( my smile is gone as I
leave!)
Visit 5- I'm really ready this time - notarized lease in hand, car insurance
with address in hand, passport in hand, social security card in hand.
This should be in and out in 10 Minutes tops. Yeah right – don’t you think you should have told me that i needed to
get a copy of my driving record for the past seven years?!! I am now going to
go underwater and calm down with a snorkel or kill someone!
Visit 6- this time I'm good to go- seriously- I have the drivers record
from Florida and everything else the BMV needs !! EXCEPT… stupid idiotic state
of Florida has two ways they send your records. One is to protect
confidentiality and has your SSN but no name or address! Guess what ?- BMV
won't accept this!! Breathe Leslie, breathe don't punch someone!! How am I
to know that when Florida says they are sending an authentic copy of your
record that it doesn't necessarily include your name?!! My facial expression
must have been so telling because the woman said "don't cry honey, you
still have time to get it!" ( I wasn't near tears but I did want to kill
someone!). She must feel sorry for me because she also gave me two forms which
need to be filled out when surrendering a license.
Call to Florida - they say they will fix it, ask where I want it sent, and I
tell them my Florida address as I am going for a visit and know how long
USPS can take to get it here on the islands! Of course this driver's record
never arrives in Melbourne, or if it did, someone else is looking at my stats
because , I'm pretty sure it's floating around the state of Florida!!
Call again to Florida after being told it could take 14 business days to
arrive and I tell her it's been 18 days. Little Miss Sunshine State decides to
send a duplicate but cannot understand why it has to be sent to be sent to me
in the the Virgin Islands.
Visit 7-I have everything!! I have my notarized lease (still
shaking my head), my vehicle insurance card with physical address , my
passport, my social security card, my driving record, and my Florida license to
surrender! I am excited!! The day is here but alas no license this time!!! Why,
you might ask, because I cannot get my picture taken for the license ....because
my shoulders aren't covered!
Now listen, I could understand if I came in with a bathing
suit covered by a small little shirt !! But I have on a sleeveless shirt that
has 2 1/2 inches of fabric on my shoulders , nothing low cut or what anyone
would call provocative, but I can't get my license because I don't have
sleeves!! I have seen what these folks wear for Carnival and they aren’t in the
parade!! Utterly ridiculous, but as my friend Denise reminded me " they just
won't give the license to me because I am a slut!"
Visit 8 - I have no expectations ! I walk in taking note
that the gentleman who does the vehicle inspections is asleep with his feet on
the desk and his head is nodding backwards and you can actually hear the
whistle of his snore. I notice the sign that says NO eating NO drinking and
of course 2 of the 3 women are sharing some very yummy looking food! Regardless, I greet the woman behind the glass
partition with a friendly " good afternoon", tell her I would like to
surrender my FL license and she has the nerve to say," do you have all the
necessary attachments?"
I want to break through that plexiglass and rip her face off
but instead I say, " I do believe so ma'am!"
Now she closely examines all the papers, and says it’s $55 -
in all seven visits before, no one had mentioned the $55- thanks goodness I had
enough cash to pay for it as they don't take credit cards!! She tells me to sit
down and twenty minutes later a second woman comes out of the door and says "are you ready from
your picture?"
I said ”by all means!
“
This lady is very nice and tells me that I am the only
person who gas made her chuckle all day ( at which point I want to say "
do you think it’s you or them lady?)" ,but now I want to get out of there
and she is holding me hostage, and she has
a private audience to talk about everything-her kids, the weather, her dying
mom, her menopausal sister, my job, where I live, and eventually - getting my license! Finally the picture
is done and the license is secure in my hand.
Hooray! It only took
83 days to get my license but I am now legal! I really hope I don’t have
to go into the BMV again for a long time as I might disturb the inspector's
Siesta!
