SATURDAYS APPOINTMENTS, SAME DAY & STAND BY
The Texas Propane Gas Association wants to alert our members that the Governor has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to offer Saturday appointments through the end of the year at many driver license (DL) offices across the state to RENEW, REPLACE OR GET A DUPLICATE of their Texas DL (including CDL) or ID cards ONLY. Click here for a list of offices participating in Saturday appointments.
Saturday appointments will begin Saturday, October 3, 2020, and continue each Saturday through December 19, 2020, except for November 28, 2020, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While CDL renewal & replacement appointments including required written hazmat knowledge tests will be offered on Saturdays, CDL physical driving tests will not.
The announcement comes as the department continues its work to help alleviate the backlog caused by COVID-19. Nearly 700,000 people statewide had their DLs/IDs expire while the DL offices were closed due to the pandemic.
Scheduling an appointment. All DL services are now conducted by appointment. To schedule an appointment or check availability, visit https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/appointments.htm.
TPGA has had many conversations with the Texas Department of Public Safety over the last couple of days, and three things can happen if someone walks in during operating hours during the week or on a Saturday. What happens next is all dependent on the office's capacity while also implementing social distancing and staffing for the day. Each DL office is different.
The person may be able to get a same-day appointment. These limited appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers who book these appointments (in person) can then leave the DL office until their designated appointment time;
Additionally, in most offices, customers without an appointment may be offered the opportunity to be placed on a “standby” list. These customers are required to wait in the office and are assisted in the event of a cancelation or a no-show. The number of standby appointments is limited to ensure all customers who are placed on the list will be served by the end of the day; or
The DL may schedule you for a later date when they know there is an available appointment.
CDL expiration waiver remains in place. Please note that the extension for the expiration dates granted in response to COVID-19 remains in effect. The extension means if your Texas commercial driver license (CDL) expires on or after March 13, 2020, it falls under the period covered by the COVID-19 State of Disaster Declaration and will remain valid for 60 days after DPS issues a public notice that the extension period for the disaster declaration has been lifted. At this time, this 60-day notice has not been issued, and Texans still have time to conduct their renewal transactions. CDL holders can download a copy of the Verification of Driver License Expiration Extension (PDF) notice to carry with them if they would like.
Hazmat Endorsement extension is still in place as well. Hazmat endorsements that expire during March 1 and October 29, 2020 will have an automatic 180-day extension from expiration date. Although waivers are in place, the HME holder must return to the driver license office 60 days before the extension expires to begin the renewal process.
Just a reminder: CDL medical card waiver was extended. For more information on the extension, please click here.