Drivers confused over BMV license changes

Changes at the BMV are frustrating Ohio motorists.

They’re waiting in long lines, then find out they don’t have the documents they need for the new Ohio driver license and identification card.

The licenses look similar to standard ones, except they have a star in the corner.

The deadline to have the new ID is more than two years away, and on Tuesday outside the BMV on South Smithville Road in Dayton many motorists said they plan to wait.

RELATED: Ohio driver’s licenses coming in mail starting July 2

“I’m going to put it off as long as possible,” Nancy Grieshop of Kettering said. “I’m not traveling much until then, so this will work.”

She was at the BMV with her granddaughter, who was getting a license.

With the new rules, her granddaughter will have to wait for her license to come in the mail. Meanwhile, she has a temporary form.

“I don’t really like it because paper’s easy to lose,” said Elizabeth Wissman of Kettering.

Dave McCune said he felt the same way.

“You’ve got to fold it up and carry it with you,” he said.

McCune and Wissman said they were caught off-guard by the new license requirements and did not know about them.

RELATED: Getting a new driver’s license? You’ll have to wait

They both selected the standard option, which will be OK to use through October 2020. That’s when federally compliant IDs will be required for ID at federal buildings, military bases and commercial flights.

There’s no additional fee for the new ID, but motorists must bring documents that show full legal name, date of birth, proof of U.S. legal presence, Social Security number, proof of address (two documents); and proof of any legal name change.

“Obviously, you don’t just carry those around with you, and it was a couple days before the expiration on my license so I couldn’t opt to come back,” McDune said.

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