US driver's license renewel

Sorry, I should've clarified - hauling my passport around whilst in the States. I never, ever get carded in the UK. (And there's no way they'd ever accept a UK Provisional License at ANY bar in PA - if it's not on their photo sheet of state licenses, no go! They barely accepted my husband's UK passport when we were there last!)

The US Passport card might be good for this, when I was last visiting NH I was reading a story about how MA was going to start allowing people to use them as ID in liquor stores (apparently MA liquor rules were strict on what was allowed as ID), few extra bucks when you renew your passport but could be worth it. I don't know what PA is doing in regards to this though.

David.

Massachusetts offers a photo ID for $25:

Photo-image ID's

For people who do not have a Massachusetts driver's license, the RMV can issue one of two official identification cards - The Massachusetts ID and Massachusetts Liquor ID. While these two ID's look similar to driver's licenses, they do not extend any driving privileges. These two ID cards are official forms of identity, signature, and age that are accepted in the Commonwealth.

Don't know if other states do same.

Sorry, I should've clarified - hauling my passport around whilst in the States. I never, ever get carded in the UK. (And there's no way they'd ever accept a UK Provisional License at ANY bar in PA - if it's not on their photo sheet of state licenses, no go! They barely accepted my husband's UK passport when we were there last!)

My friend hasn't renewed his [Texas] driving license in years, but he still uses his old expired license as proof of age when he goes to bars.

Massachusetts offers a photo ID for $25:

Photo-image ID's

For people who do not have a Massachusetts driver's license, the RMV can issue one of two official identification cards - The Massachusetts ID and Massachusetts Liquor ID. While these two ID's look similar to driver's licenses, they do not extend any driving privileges. These two ID cards are official forms of identity, signature, and age that are accepted in the Commonwealth.

Don't know if other states do same.

Don't know if it's still the same but a friend of mine had one of the MA Liqour  ID cards back in the late 1990s and some places even refused to take it so she still had to show her passport. 

Hubby has been hassled in MA about buying beer with his UK passport as well (by a jerk at a small-town package store in western MA).  Some idiots just can't cope with anything other than that state's DL as ID.

The US Passport card might be good for this, when I was last visiting NH I was reading a story about how MA was going to start allowing people to use them as ID in liquor stores (apparently MA liquor rules were strict on what was allowed as ID), few extra bucks when you renew your passport but could be worth it. I don't know what PA is doing in regards to this though.

David.

I was going to say this, too. I have a passport card and I use it to get into bars in the city so I don't have to present my NJ driver's license and admit I'm bridge and tunnel, now.    It works fine. I also use it in the UK when using my credit card, since instead of a signature it says "ask for ID" and they ALWAYS look at the signature and then ask for ID in the UK, since I don't have a chip and pin.  It only cost me $20 when renewing my passport, but I think the price might have gone up a bit last summer.

I'd be pretty bummed if I lost the ability to drive forever, especially for a bureaucratic reason. Do you have no interest in getting your UK driver's license so that you can drive in the US and when on holiday elsewhere? I can understand not wanting to drive in London but never? 

Don't know if it's still the same but a friend of mine had one of the MA Liqour  ID cards back in the late 1990s and some places even refused to take it so she still had to show her passport. 

Hubby has been hassled in MA about buying beer with his UK passport as well (by a jerk at a small-town package store in western MA).  Some idiots just can't cope with anything other than that state's DL as ID.

Most of Middle America is freaked by a passport. Even banks in small towns are suspicious of them.