Boggie Dog

Would not a Passport Card accomplish the same things as an Enhanced drivers license?

GUWonder

I use my passport card, birth certificate, passport and/or GE card along with my driving license to do that drive from Buffalo to Canada. I don't see any point of getting an EDL -- although for my last non-EDL DL issuance I did show my passport, SSA card and an old DL. If I were being driven across, then the passport card is more than sufficient and at least as good as a DL of any sort.

Larrude

The enhanced driver's license means that you don't have to bother with additional documents - just the license that you would normally carry. It is useful to me if I am visiting friends in Buffalo and decide at last minute to head to Niagara on the Lake or Toronto - we don't have to worry about our documents

Larrude

A passport card would certainly suffice, but since you would be carrying a driver's license anyhow, there is no need to have a passport card. For a $30 fee in NY state for an 8 year driver's license, I would need a good reason NOT to get the enhanced license

König

Yes, except being able to operate motor vehicles I personally don't mind carrying one more plastic card in my wallet, but losing them both at the same time wouldn't be fun.

jcf27

You can mitigate the risk of all IDs (and cash) being lost or stolen at the same time by carrying them, for example: in different pockets. Some of my friends and I have been splitting cards and money for years. Never a problem.

König

Nah, that's definitely not for me I will end up losing one half for sure. The only thing I carry separate is obviously my passport.

nas6034

Is there a reciprocal agreement with Canada where USCBP accepts a Canadian equivalent "enhanced drivers license"? Or is it simply that Canada is fine with accepting a US EDL when crossing into Canada?

Larrude

Yes, but only British Columbia and Manitoba currently offer them.
Ontario and Quebec have stopped offering them.

cbn42

There is still a documentation requirement, even if they don't bother enforcing it routinely. They can and do randomly check. In my experience, they are more likely to check if you are on foot than if you are in a vehicle.

As for why more states don't issue EDLs, my guess is that there isn't much of a demand. California has around 30 million people with a DL or state ID. How many of them do you think cross the Mexican border regularly enough that they would find it worthwhile to upgrade to an EDL in order to avoid carrying a passport, GE card, or other document? My guess is a few thousand at most. Even most residents of San Diego don't cross the border more than a few times a year. It's simply not worth offering a special document for such a small market.

catocony

Those in border areas that do cross frequently typically have Nexus or SENTRI, which eliminates the need for an EDL for them.

s0ssos

My guess is that many Californians actually have passports. As in, much more than other states (if I recall correctly most Americans don't have passports). So it isn't a big deal.

Larrude

I would imagine that the percentage of New Yorkers with passports is about the same as Californians. Having a passport isn't a problem; it is carrying it with you when deciding to cross the border. I always carry my driver's license but
I only carry my passport when I'm specifically planning a trip.

BigFlyer

It's not the regular border crossers - its people like me who are not regular crossers, who would like to know that if I happen to be in San Diego or Washington or New York I can spontaneously nip across the border without planning in advance.

rickg523

I think your post represents such a small set of potential purchasers that it explains why so many states, including California, just haven't bothered.