The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) has dispatched mobile units to offer free replacement driver licenses and IDs. According to a state press release, the units have settled in various locations, including the Elizabethton Driver Services Center, Unicoi Police Department, and Newport Grammar School. They focus on helping those who have had their identification documents lost or damaged in the disaster.
"We established these temporary Driver Services locations so that Tennesseans affected by this devastating flood could replace their driver licenses and IDs lost or damaged in the weather incident at no cost," TDOSHS Commissioner Jeff Long said. The effort aims to ease an aspect of the burden faced by flood victims, acknowledging that having valid identification is crucial as they begin taking steps toward recovery. The mobile unit at Elizabethton will not only provide the free duplicates but also expand its services to include road skills and vision tests, issuance of various licenses, and other standard DMV transactions starting October 7, as per the press release.
These dedicated units will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, to serve those impacted. The temporary Driver Services stations established at the Unicoi Police Department and Newport Grammar School will exclusively offer free duplicate licenses, ceasing their operations on October 11. It's important to note that the temporary locations will not provide services to the general public, restricting their assistance to flood victims alone.
For those preferring to avoid the potential queue, the department also encourages eligible citizens to use their online services for certain transactions. The full suite of digital options is listed on the TDOSHS website, where online service can be a convenient alternative. All three mobile unit locations accept only credit or debit card payments.
