HB1739.html

To amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issuance, expiration, and renewal of drivers´ licenses, so as to change certain provisions relating to license requirement, surrender of prior licenses, and prohibition of local licenses; to provide for renewal of drivers´ licenses upon applications submitted by means other than personal appearance before the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety; to change certain provisions relating to examination of applicants; to change certain provisions relating to expiration and renewal of licenses and reexamination requirement; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issuance, expiration, and renewal of drivers´ licenses, is amended by striking subsection (c) of Code Section 40-5-20, relating to license requirement, surrender of prior licenses, and prohibition of local licenses, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(c) No person shall receive a driver´s license unless and until such person surrenders to the department all valid licenses in such person´s possession issued to him or her by this or any other jurisdiction, except as otherwise provided by Code Section 40-5-32. All surrendered licenses issued by another jurisdiction shall be destroyed. The license information shall be forwarded to the previous jurisdiction. No person shall be permitted to have more than one valid driver´s license at any time."

Said article is further amended by striking subsection (b) of Code Section 40-5-27, relating to examination of applicants, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(b) The department shall make provision for giving an examination either in the county where the applicant resides or at another place reasonably convenient to the applicant. The examination, with the exception of those required for a commercial driver´s license, commercial driver´s license permit, or noncommercial Class A, B, or M license, shall be given at least once each month in each county of the state. Examining stations at which exams are offered weekly shall be kept open for such purposes no less than five days each week and on Saturdays as necessitated by demand. The department may provide for appointments for examinations."

Said article is further amended by striking Code Section 40-5-32, relating to expiration and renewal of licenses and reexamination requirement, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"40-5-32.
(a)(1) Every driver´s license issued on or after July 1, 2002, shall expire on the licensee´s birthday in the ~~fourth~~ fifth year following the issuance of such license. Every such license shall be renewed on or before its expiration upon application, payment of the required fee, and, if applicable, satisfactory completion of the examination required or authorized by subsection ~~(b)~~ (c) of this Code section.
(2) Every holder of a veteran´s or honorary license shall meet the requirements of subsection ~~(b)~~ (c) of this Code section on or before his or her birthday every four years, beginning from the date on which the holder was last required to take an examination under former Ga. L. 1972, p. 1076, as amended by Ga. L. 1973, pp. 916, 917. The department may allow a veteran or honorary license holder to retain his or her expired veteran´s or honorary license as a souvenir.
(3) The commissioner shall issue such rules and regulations as are required to enforce this subsection.
(b) An application for driver´s license renewal may be submitted by means of:
(1) Personal appearance before the department; or
(2) Means other than such personal appearance which may include without limitation by mail or electronically; provided, however, that renewal under this paragraph shall be applicable only to any licensee who has not been convicted of or pleaded nolo contendere to any violation of this chapter or Chapter 6 of this title committed within the previous five years and shall be subject to rules or regulations of the department which shall be consistent with considerations of public safety and efficiency of service to licensees. The department may by such rules or regulations exempt persons renewing drivers´ licenses under this paragraph from the license surrender requirement of subsection (c) of Code Section 40-5-20.
~~(b)~~(c)(1) The department shall require every person applying for renewal of a driver´s license to take and pass successfully such test of his or her eyesight as the department shall prescribe, unless otherwise provided by rule or regulation for purposes of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section.
(2) At the time of the renewal, the department shall issue a pamphlet containing information pertaining to new traffic laws and to traffic laws most frequently violated.
(3) The commissioner may issue such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement this subsection."