Somewhat of an answer came which was in response to a question I posed to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The online query concerned my friend having to show his Social Security card before his license could be renewed. The kicker was that he was renewing his DL online. Thus a trip to the long lines of the DPS Driver License office in this case rather negates the convenience of renewing online. I had mentioned in my online query to DPS that last year when I renewed my DL online I was not required to show my Social Security.
Here was the reply from Tela Mange, the chief spokeswoman for the DPS:
“Over the past several years, we have been asking folks who are renewing to show their Social Security card if we did not have a record of the number (this is something required by federal law). It’s probable that we didn’t ask for yours last year because we already had it.”
I can’t ever remember being asked for my Social Security card to renew or to make a change of address on my driver license. That is with a driving history of 36 years.
It isn’t that I have a problem with showing the DPS my Social Security card even though that number has been used in records ranging from tax returns and college to it being my “serial” or service number in the military. And it would seem the DPS would be privy to some of these records. The SSN leaves quite a long trail.
Also, it is by no means surprising that such a requirement is a federally-mandated one. “We need to see your papers comrade!”