Can a Driver's License Be Laminated a Second Time?
2 Answers
A driver's license can be laminated a second time, but the supplementary page cannot be laminated. The main page functions to record the driver's basic information and the types of vehicles they are licensed to drive. To prevent wear and tear on this essential information, the main page is laminated. The supplementary page, however, is primarily used to record reminders and requires annotations, hence it cannot be laminated. More details about driver's license renewal are as follows: 1. Detail One: If your license has expired and you haven't had the chance to renew it, don't worry. As long as the expiration period is less than one year, you can still apply for renewal at the original vehicle management office where the license was issued. However, whether you can renew it in a different location after expiration depends on the specific regulations of the local vehicle management office. 2. Detail Two: If the expiration period exceeds one year but is less than three years, the driver's license will be in a 'canceled but recoverable' status. In this case, you need to retake the written test (Subject One) at the vehicle management office. Upon passing the test, you can proceed with the renewal. If there are any unresolved traffic violations when your license expires, you must settle them before applying for renewal; otherwise, you won't be able to process an out-of-region renewal.
As someone who drives frequently, I think the idea of laminating a driver's license a second time should be approached with caution. The original intention of lamination is to protect the license from wear and tear, but adding a second layer of film might cause issues. The official driver's license already comes with a plastic protective layer, and using a heat-sealing machine for lamination could cause the edges to curl or the information to become blurry due to the high temperature. I'm also concerned that if the license has a magnetic strip or chip, double lamination might damage it, making it fail to scan QR codes, for example. Once, a friend of mine had his license laminated, and the police suspected it was fake, forcing him to go to the DMV to get a replacement, which was time-consuming and troublesome. My advice is not to bother with lamination—just apply a simple transparent protective film or buy a dedicated protective sleeve, which is both safe and legal, saving you hassle.
