driving oregon amateur-radio
Why did the Oregon DMV accept my amateur radio license as proof of address?
<p>I had an amateur radio license before I had a driver's license. Why did the DMV accept my amateur radio license as proof of address? It does have my address printed on it, but there was no verification whatsoever.</p>
<p>This was the procedure I followed for obtaining the ham license (this was pre-FCC license fee):</p>
<ul>
<li>I took my Technician (entry-level amateur radio license) exam at a local ham radio club testing session. The VEs (Volunteer Examiners) had me fill out a form with my name, address, and social security number. I gave them my birth certificate and social security card, which they kept copies of. I wrote my address on the form, but they did nothing to verify it.</li>
<li>The VEs sumbitted my information, including my address, to the FCC.</li>
<li>The FCC issued my license and added it to their public database. My address is included in the public record.</li>
<li>I logged into my account on the FCC database (I don't remember the procedure) and downloaded a PDF of my license. This PDF, again, includes my address.</li>
<li>I printed the PDF, cut out the wallet size card, glued the front and back together, and signed it.</li>
<li>Along with some other documents (at least one magazine, and maybe something else; I'm not sure), I showed the copy of my ham license to a DMV employee as part of proof of address.</li>
<li>The DMV issued my driver license.</li>
</ul>
<p>Why did the DMV accept the address from my ham license, when the address was completely unverified? I could have easily given a fake address to the VEs, and I doubt anyone would notice unless they tried to contact me at that address and I didn't answer.</p>

<p>The documents that the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/odot/DMV/Pages/DriverID/IDProof.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">accepts as proof of residence include</a></p>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Any item delivered by the United States Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS sent by a verifiable business or government agency</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>or</p>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Unexpired professional license issued by an agency in the U.S.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>It is possible that the clerk at your DMV mistakenly believed your license from the FCC to be one of these two things.</p>
