Incoherent Scribblings

The Day I Became a Texan

I know that once you move to Texas technically you have 30 days to transfer your vehicle registration and driver’s license from the state in which you last resided to Texas.

However, since this is not only a university town, but a snowbird destination as well, I figured that I could probably get away with an Iowa license and plates for as long as they were valid. Nevertheless, when I planned my budget for this month, the whole car/driver’s license thing received top priority.

On Tuesday I made an appointment to get an oil change but also took the opportunity to get my car inspected so that I could complete the first step in getting it legal. That afternoon I continued my task by downloading the appropriate forms and filling them out. Because I had the paperwork all filled out when I went to the county tax office the next day, I received my new license plates and registration sticker within a possible record time of 20 minutes.

After I replaced the Iowa plates with the Texas ones late this morning I headed down to the Department of Public Safety so that I could fill out yet more paperwork and get my Texas driver’s license. Unlike last year when I had a bit of trouble getting my driver’s license, this time there was no test (written or driving) involved.

I smiled pretty for my picture and noticed that I was wearing the same shirt today as I was wearing a little over a year ago when I smiled for my Iowa driver’s license photo.

Though it was a lot of red tape and took most of the week to fit these things in around my work schedule, I am pleased to say that the whole process went smoothly. And as I put my new driver’s license into my wallet, the nice lady at the driver’s license office actually smiled and said to me, “Congratulations. You’re a Texan now.”