ON-THE-SPOT LICENSES ARE A CONVENIENCE

As a matter of convenience, one of the best things to happen recently at the license bureaus around Missouri is the new, while-you-wait license service. The new system allows motorists to go in for a driver's license and walk out with the license in their hands. Previously, license applicants had to wait a few weeks while the photo and other information were sent to Jefferson City for processing.

The new system already is installed at the license offices in Jackson, Perryville and Chaffee. The Cape Girardeau office plans to have the system up and running next Monday. Across the state, more than 120 of the 167 license offices have the new system.

In addition to convenience -- there will be a wait of a few minutes while the new license is processed and laminated -- there is another benefit to the on-the-spot licensing, according to the state's Department of Revenue. The new licenses are more tamper-resistant, making it difficult to alter the license for unlawful purposes.

Sorry, the new system still requires you to give your actual weight. And the photo pretty much still looks like a driver's license snapshot. But now you will have your license immediately instead of a few weeks, and many motorists will appreciate that convenience.