Jeff’s Driver’s Licenses From 1986 to Today

A while back, Lori showed us all the driver's licenses she has had over the years. Not to be outdone, I recently had my license renewed, so I figured I'd do the same so you could see how much I've changed in 36 years, or in some cases, haven't changed.

Let's start with the very first license I received after passing my road test in 1986 at the age of 15. This is back when they were typed and laminated. The brown box at the top indicated I was under 21. And look! I weigh 145 pounds!

1990. I'm 19 years old and just finished my freshman year in college.  I have glasses and gained 35 pounds! You'll also notice that my address changes with just about every renewal.

It's 1994. I'm 23 now so I get the blue box on the license. I ended up ditching the glasses. Too many people made fun of me wearing them in college, so bye-bye. My weight held steady and I was also living in Lincoln at the time doing a morning show at a radio station there for about a year or so.

There's a gap where I'm missing licenses. I don't have 2000 or 2004 so we jump ahead to 2010, the first time I renewed after the state extended the renewal time from four years to six years. The license says it was issued in 2015 because I changed my address, yet again. They kept the photo taken in 2010.

I've now hit 200 pounds and that's still not really true, but close enough. Notice how my signature has gotten sloppy over the years?

This might be the worst picture of me ever. What the hell is that look? Scary.

Here's the license I got in 2016. The glasses have returned, this time for good. I made a point to not try to smile in this one like I did in 2010. This is probably more like how I would look if I ever got pulled over.

And here's my latest license, the Real ID version that is required if you don't have a passport and want to fly domestically starting in 2023. The interesting thing about this, is that 200 pound weight on my license is actually accurate for the first time in 18 years after I beat Lori in our weight loss challenge by shedding 25 pounds because I refused to lose to her. New glasses since the last license too.

I think the best photo of me here is from 1986, but who wouldn't think the youngest picture of them was the best. I look at that 1986 license and then my 2016 and wonder how that can be the same person.