Issued a Full Driver's License Instead of a Learner's Permit

[delbozz]

My question involves a driver's license issued by the State of: Texas

Ok so I will explain my situation, it's strange and I'm actually quite embarrassed by it. in 2009 I went to the DMV to get a new learners permit because I had had my old one so long it had expired. After I got to the counter and told the man there what i needed he said he could actually just renew my permit. He took my old permit, my money and my picture. He typed some stuff into his computer and told me I was done, my new card would show up in about a week. That was much easier than I thought and sure enough about a week later i got a letter from the DMV. inside was a Texas state drivers license. I found that odd, it was clearly an error and I made a mental note to call the dmv. I stuffed it in my wallet and then, promptly forgot about it.

I had quite a few things going on, trying to find a job, looking into going back to schools and was having some difficulty with my marriage at the time and it pretty much slipped my mind. Now, I do NOT drive and have never driven with the license they sent. Frankly the idea of driving in Houston just scares me. People drive like they are insane. My wife drives us everywhere. So this card has sat in my wallet for two years now and I never even look at it because no one ever asks for ID any more and I pay our bills online. I forgot I had it until last week when we moved and the new apartment complex wanted copies of our ID's. I let them make a copy and now I need to call the DMV on Monday and let them know I have this thing.

I guess my concern is (it's keeping me up at night actually) is, what kind of penalties am I looking at? fines? Jail time(god forbid!). I do not drive and it's not incorrect information, its actually ME on the id/license. Can someone chime in? I'm really worried about this and would rather not face jail time for a simple and very stupid error on my part if possible.

[Dogmatique]

I'll also wait for others to chime in but I'm not actually seeing a crime here.

[PTPD22]

No, I don't see any crime here, either. I suppose it is possible that Texas has some weird administrative law that says, if you are aware of such an error, that you are required to notify within 45 days or something. But, that seems pretty unlikely.

However, hypothetically speaking, if you were to be stopped by a cop and presented that as proof of identity, I can see a scenario where it could cause you some grief. I can see the cop thinking, "I'm looking at this guy's DMV record right here on my official-police-squad-car-computer and it says he only has a learner's permit. But, what he just handed me says driver's license. This must be a forgery." You might have quite a bit of difficulty dissuading him/her of that notion.

On a side note, I always have to laugh. It seems like whatever city you talk about, people from that city always think they have the worst traffic congestion, craziest drivers, etc. Just makes me chuckle that this seems to be so ubiquitous.

[delbozz]

Thanks for the words, it put me a bit at ease. I'm still calling tomorrow to bring this to the DMV's attention and since they never contacted me by letter or phone I'm assuming they just do not know. Hopefully the fact that I'm bringing it to their attention will take the spotlight off the fact that I forgot about it for two years >< .The only part that will be odd will be convincing them that I have not, in fact been using it to drive for two years.