That's not my name.

[CoreyI35]

So I just got my CHL about a month ago. Incidentally, I just had my drivers license renewed about three months ago. On both, it lists (correctly) that my middle name is "Scott".

Here's where things get weird. I went to Pappadeaux in Dallas, and since it is in a "dry" area, they had to scan my drivers license to be in the "club" so they could sell us drinks. Annoying, yes, but that's not what I'm writing about. The waiter brought back this little receipt-looking piece of paper, and on it my middle name was listed as "Pascal". I wouldn't have noticed if my wife hadn't pointed it out. "Pascal"? I don't even know anybody named Pascal, other than the long-since-deceased French mathematician. So we asked the waiter, "Did you type this in?" "No. That's just what is on the magnetic stripe from your license."

So here's my concern. My DL and CHL both correctly show my middle name as "Scott" on the front. But if swiping my DL comes back with some other middle name, doesn't that put me in some legal jeopardy since my DL and CHL have to match? Also, I'm worried that the first time I get pulled over, Mr. LEO is going to say, "You're crap don't match. Let's go sit you up in the clink while we figure out who you are."

What should I do, if anything? Is this something I should be concerned about? How can I figure out where the hell this "Pascal" as a middle name came from?

[Hoi Polloi]

Call DPS on Monday. They handle both. You can take them both in to the local DPS office if that's what they advise, but I'd call first to make sure what should be done. It isn't anything earth shattering and I can't see an officer taking you to jail over the middle name on a magnetic strip before you get it sorted out.

[MoJo]

contact DPS see what they say they issued the license

[92f-fan]

I doubt the database the clubs use comes direct from the state
I would contact Unicard - I think they provide the scanners to the clubs - I bet its just a mix up in the club database

[CoreyI35]

Good call. I sent an email to the Unicard people. I'll wait until the end of next week to hear back from them if there was a goof on their end before I try dealing with DPS, which I just have a feeling will be a dreadful experience.

[jester]

I wouldn't worry about the mag stripe if the front matches, but I'm not Artoo.

[dicion]

or you could just demagnetize the stripe, so they have to use the info on the front

[AJ80]

I doubt the database the clubs use comes direct from the state
I would contact Unicard - I think they provide the scanners to the clubs - I bet its just a mix up in the club database

I wouldn't think they would use a database for that.
I've had to develop software for credit card scanners recently, and the name is stored directly on the magnetic stripe of the credit card and if I remember right from when I scanned my DL and CHL, it's stored directly on those as well.

[KFP]

I had a married couple take a course with me, sent their completed packets in right after class, got their CHLs fairly quickly. When they looked at their CHLs, both of them had their address misspelled. They had made copies of the paperwork submitted to DPS and verified that they did submit the correct address. They contacted DPS (clearly someone there mistyped their address) to be told that for $25 each, they could get the correct address. I got the same response when contacting someone through the instructor side as well.

My guess is that you'll get to go through the same process - hopefully you can convince them that they made the error and should be responsible for fixing it for free.

[boba]

For many years, my DL had the city name misspelled. It didn't cause me any problems.

[rm9792]

It could accidently fall from your shirt pocket and land on the back of your speaker like mine did....

[dicion]

It could accidently fall from your shirt pocket and land on the back of your speaker like mine did....

Or somehow end up in the microwave for 2-3 seconds.

[Kevinf2349]

I wouldn't even worry about it....after all unless YOU can read the magnetic strip yourself how would you even know it was incorrect? I am sure there isn't a court in the country that would convict you on anything based on a magnetic strip.

Given that the name is correct on the front of both, I wouldn't even mention it to the DPS personally. I have only even read my DL swiped once (at the Arms Room of all places! ) so I have no idea what the strip on the back may say.

Just my $0.02...the usual caveats apply!

[tacticool]

My only concern would be air travel if you scan your DL in the e-ticket machine and it can't find the reservation. Security shouldn't be a problem, as long as the name printed on the ticket matches the name printed on the ID.