So, crazy story. I went to the DMV to renew my US license that had expired before covid last year. I got a last minute inkling to bring my German driver’s license, but didn’t think it would help much. I actually thought it would make them suspicious.

TURNS OUT!!!! I would have had to take the written and driving tests over again bc my license had been expired for over a year.
I was telling her that, “We’re moving to Europe and, really, I just need an ID to go pick up our passports at the Consulate when our Spanish visas come through. Doesn’t have to be a driver’s license, a regular ID is fine. I would use my German license as ID, but I don’t think it counts.” Her eyes popped up.
“You have a German driver’s license?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it valid?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you have it with you?”
“Yeah.”
“In that case, You don’t need to do any of the tests. There are 5 countries that we directly swap licenses with because we know their tests are harder – France, Germany, Canada (and two others that I can’t remember.). A guy came in last week and was telling us how hard and expensive it is to get a license over there.”

FANTASTIC! They didn’t even need to punch/invalidate it because it was still valid until “…2031? Really?” I’m like, yeah, it’s valid for 25 years.

(The funny thing is that my German license says, valid until: 31.10.33. If she thought the ‘31’ was the year, what did she think the 33 was for? The 33rd of October? 🤣)

Anyway, that stupid German license has saved me YET AGAIN. Still worth the crazy hassle and boatload of German swear words that I learned from the woman yelling at me behind the counter at the German DMV. #ThankYou2018Self

I’ve included some various pictures of my time living in Germany bc no one wants to see pictures of the DMV lol