texas

Computer Glitch Leaves Texans Waiting For Drivers Licenses

Some Texans may have ended up driving around without a valid drivers license - without even realizing it.

That's because of a computer glitch that affected thousands of people who renewed licenses and state ID cards, or updated their license address online over two days in January.

On January 25 and 26, a glitch in a state website prevented the Texas Department of Public Safety from receiving information submitted into the online license renewal system.

So, weeks or even months later, at least 6,000 customers still had not received their new licenses.

For people just updating their license address, that may not be a big deal because their license is still valid. But if someone renewed their license and then their old one expired before they received a new card, it may present a bigger problem.

DPS Spokesman Tom Vinger said the agency has addressed all of the affected transactions and that licenses were now being mailed out to anyone who had not received one yet.

Customers can check the status of an online renewal by calling 1-866-357-3639.

The Texas.Gov web portal where Texans renew licenses is actually run the Texas Department of Information Resources.

NBC 5 was unable to reach an agency spokesman there Friday because of the Easter weekend holiday.

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