Posted: 2/8/2026 10:11:20 AM EDT
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My License will finally expire next week and I went a few weeks ago to renew it. First thing I noticed is when I first got a SC license 10 years ago, They process it right there and I immediately got it before i walked out of the DMV ...and every time I went to do a change of address( 4) times it was the same. this is the first time I was told 7 to 10 days...it was more like 14 but we had the storms so it is was it is. second thing is the picture is now black and white? it also looks very grainy with no definition. hard to tell its me. is this just for the standard license? or is the enhanced different? |
| I renewed my back in October. I did the normal license not the real ID. Yep same as you. They do not process them there they do them by mail only. I do not know the reason why except maybe some background research before sending it out. Yes the license looks rather plain and picture is faded looking. |
Tennessee Squire
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A member of my Masonic Lodge is in the IT dept. at SCDMV. He told me that they have shifted from in-house processing of DL's to outsourcing it because it is cheaper overall. The cost for the machines that print them, and the cost to maintain them, is lower per use than outsourcing. Plus training the counter "workers" on how to run the equipment. He said that there are more features in the new DL that make them harder to counterfeit like the clear window and more holograms and raised portions. You will of course note that none of these reasons are for better customer service. And if you were wondering, the new DL's are made by a company in Canada. The poor resolution pictures is for all types of license. I have a Real ID, and it's just as bad as yours. They are not making a better version for Real ID and a worse version for regular DL's. |
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Originally Posted By 57plymouth: And if you were wondering, the new DL's are made by a company in Canada. DL's. I thought so... before moving here 10 years ago I lived in New Yuk, and they had switched to a Canadian company to make their DL's.. black and white pics. But in New Yuk it took 45 days and cost $60-$80 depending on your classification. and we were on the western (red) side of the state... I think NYC is over $100 fee. I'm glad I'm here and won't complain about the $25 fee and 7-10 days... |