Ohio drops rule for license renewals

COLUMBUS (AP) — People seeking to renew an Ohio driver’s license are no longer required to produce a Social Security card, a move that should reduce wait times at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, officials said this week.

The policy change, effective this week, won’t compromise security or the bureau’s verification process, Department of Public Safety director Henry Guzman said in a statement.

The change also applies to commercial driver’s license renewals and state identification card renewals.

“Once a person comes in to first get their driver’s license, they’re in our system. They’ve already proven who they are,” said Julie Ehrhart, a spokeswoman for the motor vehicles bureau.

A renewal can be completed using a license or state ID card that is current or has been expired for less than six months — as long as the bureau has previously verified an applicant’s Social Security number, the statement said.

First-time applicants still will be required to show documents that prove a date of birth and a Social Security number, the bureau said.