The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control and the ABC Board woefully lacks knowledge of their parent agencies own policy/procedure concerning driver's licenses.
At a recent ABC Board meeting chairperson Janet Moore refused to accept an applicant's valid Arkansas Driver's License as a form of identification because the address as listed on the license was not his current address (she also questioned his heritage and why he liked to travel out of the country to visit family).
 |
| ABC BOARD CHAIRPERSON JANET MOORE DOING HER BEST TO LOOK LIKE BEA ARTHUR |
We are happy to enlighten you Ms. Moore, that the fact the address on the license does not reflect the licensees current address does not invalidate the license (and the heritage of an applicant and what places they travel to have doodly-squat to do with an ABC permit).
If you change your address, the Department of Finance & Administration does not require you to obtain a new license that reflects your new address, all you have to do is file a change of address form. You can do this by going into a DFA Revenue office, or you can email the form to driverservice@dfa.arkansas.gov, or by mail the form to Driver's License Issuance, Room 2120, P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203.
DFA leaves it up to the individual to decide if they want an updated driver's license as it will cost $10.00 to get a duplicate license with the new address.
Contrary to popular belief, a driver's license is not really a form of identification (although it's often used as one), it's a license to drive, just like a fishing license is a license to fish, a hunting license is a license to hunt, etc.
If you want to verify an individuals address, use voter registration, assessment and property tax records. A county courthouse is a one stop shop for such information. If the individual rents instead of owing a residence, a lease can provide verification. Utilities are not always in the individuals name and thus are a secondary form of verification. Same with phone records. If you feel lucky...Google the individual and see what turns up.
Often the ABC makes an applicant for a permit get a replacement or duplicate license to have the address on the license be within 35 miles of the location of where the permit will be. Totally unnecessary and ridiculous.
Let's suppose that tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet decided he needs to move from his crime ridden neighborhood.
Would he have to get a duplicate license with his new address? Not unless he wanted to. All he would have to do is file the change of address form.
Would he file the form? Probably not. Hamlet is not known for filing correct and accurate documents with other state agencies so why would he file a change of address for his driver's license?
One day an applicant that has the ABC give them heck about a driver's license with an "old" address on it, will have a crackerjack attorney and when the ABC tries these shenanigans with them that attorney will lower the boom on the ABC and take them to task for such foolishness.
