Do elders need a state ID?

My mom had a state driver's license and it was up for renewal this year. I chose to renew online but it did not allow me to renew a driver's license. It said she would have to appear in person, which I'm sure has to do with her age (86). It did, however, allow me to renew a state ID in lieu of a license. I'm not sure if your state has this option?

I am for the fib. To tell the truth it is the easiest way. You don't necessarily HAVE to have this, but were she to have to sign anything they would ask for ID. Some will accept old ID and some will not. Some will accept birth certificate with old ID and some will not. Is there by any chance a valid passport? That works as well and better than ID. But for myself, I guess I would do the fib for now, just in case it was needed, and explain later if ever you had to. You would think they would do the elder ID online by choice,but I had to go in to do it as well.

I had the same problem. Mom is 90 and has not driven for years. I renewed her license online. Lying about her health is the least of my worries. If the state just continues to issue and renew a driver's license for 8 years, that is on them. Not trying to be cold, but Mom needs ID for EVERY Doctor she goes to and even for some banking. My mother will NEVER drive again, that you can be sure. The fact that I let her drive, something happens, is all on me. I took the easier, softer way.

From personal experience do whatever you can to get either the DL renewed or a State ID. My mother was 95, Alzheimer’s and living with us. As POA I sold her home and when we tried to open a savings account at HER bank where her checking account was they would not do it because she didn’t have a CURRENT valid ID. The banks are very strict now. Good luck.

best suggestion just renew online if DMV has no
issue renewing online instead of in person, just renew.

many places will require a photo id like going to a new
doctor's office, an ER, lab or imaging facility

Trust me save yourself the problems if you can renew online
just do it and have their id photo id for the situations mentioned above

Posters, If your loved one has a w/c take them in it to the RMV, they should take them right away. That is what I did and no waiting. Talk to the person at the entrance.

You have received some really good answers. I just wanted to say that I also had to get both of my parents driver's licenses redone when I moved them to my town. It was so hard getting them to the DMV and waiting to get to see someone. While we were waiting they called our number but by the time I had walked them to the window they had called another number and told us we had to start again. I had a meltdown right there and just took them home. I immediately wrote an email to my State representative, copied the head of the DMV and several news agencies with the subject "90 year old parents denied DMV identification cards". Within hours I had the DMV and my State representative begging to send someone to my parents apartment to issue new cards and take their pictures.
I have never felt such a sense of accomplishment before in my life.

Call the RMV and ask if you can apply for some type of ID online. I got a handicapped card for my mom and the registry used her old drivers license photo.

This year, I was able to renew my CA DL online with my same photo of 2010. But in five years, I will require a new photo. By that time, COVID-19 shoud be presumed gone.

What about getting a senior citizen photo ID? But the point is getting a new photo for it.

This happened to my mother: As she was legally blind, she did not realize that she had let her ID only card from the DMV expire. That presented a real problem for us when we were getting the PoA doc notarized. Fortunately, the Notary Pubic was a freind of her's and he let her use her COB (Commissioner of the Blind) ID.

For you, does your mother perchance have an opthamologist? If so, they can send in the application for the ID DMV card.

I don't advocate that you lie about her health when obtaining the ID card. Lying about one's health is unlawful, of course, when applying to the DMV.

Renew it online. Does your state allow that license to be downgraded into just an ID online?
It's an unfortunate place to be. BUT, she will run into issues, if she fails to have it renewed. (Banking, etc.)

My husband was very ill for several years. His DL expired. When we went to the bank to change his checking account to a different one at the same bank, they refused to use his expired DL. We are now trying to get an ID, but they need a birth certificate (which we can't locate) We've ordered a new one twice and paid, but still no birth certificate! Don't know what to do next?

She should at least have a senior ID. I say this from my point of view as both a California elder law attorney and a notary public. As long as she has mental capacity, she has the ability to create and sign certain legal documents, and may well have that need. Many of those documents must be notarized. A California notary cannot notarize if the expiration on the ID is older than five years. I would imagine other states have similar rules.

The current state of affairs in California, due to Covid-19

In California, if a person needing to renew their driver's license by making an appearance is 70 y. o. or older, the DMV has given an automatic extension for one year from the date of expiration. This is due to many DMV office closures and limited appointments, and overload from the pandemic.

This was just announced late in July. It was said that one will not need to document the extension. It is automatic.

However, if you sign up for a DMV account online, one can print out the letter of extension to carry it with you.

The last time mom's license was renewed, she had to go in person. Had my YB told me of the accidents she'd had, I would not have facilitated this. She had to bring a letter from her ophthalmologist as using the eye check at the DMV wouldn't work for her. They did the renewal. She had yet another accident (mostly covered by ins, and that's when I learned about the previous accident!) She was not driving at night for some time, and her "circle" of comfort was shrinking. However, unexplained damages were disturbing. Well before the license expired, dementia had kicked in and we had to get the car away from her.

Anyway, after trying to bring aides in, just 1hr/day check to be increased as needed so she could remain in her condo as long as possible, she refused to let them in (lasted about 2 months.) So, about 4.5 years ago we moved her to MC.

Her license was still "current" for about 8 more months. One time during a trip to get mac deg treatments, she was rifling through her wallet and purse (usual during any doc or dental visit, during the drive or wait) and came on the license. In talking about it, I pointed out that it was expired. She didn't ask about getting another.

I considered looking into an ID, esp since she was moved over the state border to be closer to us, but never did it. Since it was a different state, no question that she would have to go to get the photo done and that wasn't happening!

No one has ever asked for an ID, not even at a new dermatologist I took her to. Medicare card, yes. I provide them with a copy of the POA and have had NO issues. What's funny about that is for years she said she had lost the Medicare card. While waiting for this appt, she was going through everything as usual and lo, there it was! I snagged it, saying they needed it and didn't give it back. This was before the ID change. By the time new IDs were issued, I had become rep payee for SS, so it was sent to me. The facility has copies of SS and Medicare cards, and no one has ever asked for an ID.

I wouldn't bother renewing it. IF someplace asks for photo ID and won't accept the expired one, explain the situation. At a reg doctor or dentist office or even a hospital, they should understand and accept it. The Medicare card information should match the name, etc, and should be sufficient. If she needs to see a new doc or go to hospital, most likely her reg doc should be referring. Why they would need a "current" or non-expired picture ID is beyond me!

Most places checking IDs probably just look at the picture and name to make sure they match the person in front of them and don’t even look at the expiration date. I think renewing the driver’s license online is what I would do especially right now during COVID-19. You know she won’t be driving, so safety isn’t an issue.

Thank you all so much for the helpful answers. It is a relief to hear so many of you say that an ID wasn’t really essential to you. I may go back online and renew that drivers license if I can though, just in case. This forum is the best!

Upon moving from Minnesota, Texas DMV came to my parents' AL. We did all the paperwork and they even brought a blue cloth to hold up behind them for the photo. I believe I had to call Secretary of State office in Austin to get it done in San Antonio. Local DMV offices had no info on this service.

My mom stopped driving several years ago. When her license expired we used it for ID for a couple months but then the docs and therapists told us we needed to get a state ID. This is in Ohio so it may vary by state. A couple times when she has had to go to the hospital it was used for ID as well. Check your local laws and see what is required for ID in your state.

My mother's license expired three years ago and she didn't renew it. The expired one is accepted fine - at doctor's offices, banks, for prescriptions - since it has a picture. She's in assisted living and is 84. I wouldn't renew the DL if I were you. Why spend the money for a new DL?

Our mom’s ID and license expired on her 80th birthday during Covid and we are not trying to get an appt to go in person to get a renewal. She’s not driving anymore anyway and thankfully we renewed her passport in November so that’s all she needs for ID and to travel. You can get a passport by mail.

She will need a valid ID at some point. I suggest renewing her driver's license online since many more people will have this option available during COVID.

Dear Patrice2,
My mother had a driver’s license at one time, which was later changed to a State ID. She then went into an assisted living and during that time her ID expired. The Registry said she had to come down to renew, which was not going to work for us. I let it expire and there has been no problem needing an ID for anything. I was also very nervous thinking she is going to need an ID for something.
 
When my mother first went into the assisted living, they took a picture of her with her name, which the facility used for identification purposes. Her address became the facility’s since it was her new home.
 
For five years from the time my mother was at the assisted living facility to the time she moved to the nursing home facility, there has been no need for a State ID for ID purposes.

My mother used her expired id as proof of address when applying for absentee ballot. It was returned asking for more proof. had to come up with another source. I read that people in nursing homes could use an expired id... mom's in Al so I guess that didn't count!

Also, the real id will be needed for*any* flight after 10/21... not likely but a consideration.

We are really careful with my mom's drivers License.  We cannot renew online as she has moved.  Doctors office will take an expired driver license, but hers will last till she is 104

Quite often the Secretary of State will go into facilities and set up "shop" and do ID's for residents. They will often go into Senior Centers as well.
Check with your State DMV and see if they have anything scheduled.
If it is not possible then I would renew the Drivers License if there is no possibility that she would drive. (If she did happen to drive then the "fib" about her health would come back to bite you (her).
The only "problem" that might arise is when she goes to a doctors office, particularly a new one they always ask for your Insurance card(s) and a photo ID. Some offices might have a problem if the ID or Drivers License is expired.

Seems really idiotic that one can renew a DL and not have to appear but to get an ID you do. I suppose this is due to the fact that often the background is different on an ID than it is on a DL.

My 90 year-old father renewed his driver's license online - it was so much easier than getting the "non-driver" ID. Not all states allow this, though.

IYou're probably better off renewing her driver's license, unless you live in a really organized, uncrowded state. I called the DMV in San Francisco about getting my mother an ID in May of 2019; they said they'd call when they could get someone out to us. She passed away in November. I'd cancel, but you can't reach humans there these days...

When my dad moved to my state he was no longer driving. We went and had a state ID made but he never needed it for anything. So was a waste. Since he used a credit card to buy his groceries when he was in IL, no one needed to see an ID to write a check. So I would say not to worry about it and just use her expired license. You know she won’t be driving, so if it concerns you, renew it online.