The Safe at Home address confidentiality program, within the Office of the Secretary of State, was implemented to serve victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking.
The goal of the Safe at Home program is to help victims who have relocated or are about to relocate, in their effort to keep their perpetrators from finding them.
Many shelters allow the use of their address or have Post Office Boxes set up for this purpose. Call 211 or visit vermont211.org for more information.
No. The mailing process used to send Driver’s Licenses and IDs is similar to that used by the financial services industry to send your credit and debit cards. There is no indication on the outside of the envelope that it contains a driver license or ID card. If a license can’t be delivered, it will be returned to the DMV. Also, mailing the driver license and ID card helps DMV ensure applicants provide us with legitimate addresses.
Your wait time at a DMV office may be less with a centralized production method. With central issuance, you don’t have to wait for the permanent license to be produced. You leave the office with the Temporary License/ID which takes a few seconds to print. All security checks are done after you leave the DMV office.
A temporary document may not be accepted for identification purposes. Activities such as boarding airplanes and completing financial transactions will be easier with your permanent card in your possession.
DMV urges drivers to renew their licenses early. Do not wait until your license or ID card expires. By coming in early, you continue to use your currently valid license or ID card. Vermont Driver’s Licenses can be renewed as early as six months prior to the renewal date.
There are no changes to the application requirements for a Driver License. The change occurs in the printing process. Instead of leaving the office with your permanent card, you will receive a Temporary License/ID and can expect to receive your permanent card in the mail within 10 calendar days at the address you provided the DMV.
The 7 to 10-day turnaround from the time you apply for a license to when you receive it in the mail gives the DMV time to verify applicants. We check to ensure applicants have not already received one or more Driver’s Licenses or Non-Driver Identification cards under different names. We also make certain applicants aren’t using a fraudulent or stolen Social Security number, immigration card, or birth certificate. Mailing ensures an accurate address was provided. If identity fraud or theft is suspected, we are able to suspend production of the driver license for further investigation.
To help prevent identity theft and fraud, Vermont DMV issues Driver’s Licenses, Learner Permits and IDs from a central location and mails them to customers.
Drivers receive a 30-day Temporary License/ID, and their permanent License, Permit or ID card arrives before the temporary certificate expires.
The certificate may be used only for driving purposes. It cannot be used for identification. Drivers may renew their License or ID as early as six months before their card expires.
No.
