Thursday, 28 March 2024

More than 64,000 veterans apply for veteran designation on California driver licenses

SACRAMENTO – In the two years since Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. signed legislation authorizing a veteran designation on California driver licenses and identification cards, more than 64,000 veterans have visited their county Veterans Service Office to apply and the California Department of Motor Vehicles has issued more than 55,000.

In the process, veterans learned about their eligibility for other benefits, and 28 percent applied for additional benefits. Thus far, an additional $17 million has been awarded retroactively and $31 million will be received by veterans statewide annually.

“There are 1.7 million veterans in California. Our hope is that each one of them has ready access to all of the benefits they have earned through their service to this country,” said CalVet Secretary Vito Imbasciani. “Getting them into a county Veteran Service Office is the first step to ensuring they do.”

A veteran designation on a driver license or ID card recognizes military service and makes it easier for veterans who don’t have a retired ID or a VA ID to access privileges and benefits without having to carry their military record with them.

As an added bonus, a veteran designation means a business can easily confirm veteran status when offering discounts on holidays such as Veterans Day.

The DMV and CalVet have vigorously promoted this program in conjunction with the county Veterans Services Offices and veteran service organizations statewide. While the program has been a success, there are still hundreds of thousands of eligible veterans in California who don’t know the program exists or are planning to participate when their current driver license is up for renewal.

Veterans can follow these three important steps to obtain their designation.

STEP 1 – Take your DD-214 to a CVSO to obtain a Veteran Status Verification Form (and check your eligibility for other benefits at the same time). To find a local CVSO, call 844-737-8838 or visit www.calvet.ca.gov.

STEP 2 – Go online or call DMV at 800-777-0133 for an appointment to visit a DMV field office. Present the completed and stamped Veteran Status Verification Form and driver license application to a DMV representative at your local DMV field office.

STEP 3 - Pay your $5 designation fee and related application or renewal fees.

Veterans are required to pay a one-time $5 designation fee, in addition to any other application fees associated with a renewal, duplicate, or original driver license and/or ID card. The designation fee is included in the legislative language contained within Assembly Bill 935.

The CalVet and the California DMV wants to remind veterans that they must first obtain a veteran status verification form from a county Veteran Service Office before visiting a DMV field office to apply for the designation.

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