101-year-old Texas veteran decided to renew his license and was surprised by how simple the test was
Published on Jan 25, 2026 at 7:52 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Feb 06, 2026 at 1:36 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
101-year-old Texas veteran Thomas ‘Ed’ Davis decided to renew his driving license and did not expect much from the experience.
The World War Two and Korean War veteran walked into a Department of Public Safety office in Boerne, Texas, treating it like any other routine errand.
Davis said he wanted to see if he still could renew it at his age.
What surprised him most was how straightforward the entire process turned out to be, despite being more than a century old.
EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie
What happened when the man, 101, tried to renew his driver’s license
In Texas, all drivers aged 85 and older are required to renew their driver’s licenses every two years and complete a basic vision check.
Davis has been driving for decades and still uses his Chevy pickup truck for everyday tasks, like grocery runs and picking up lumber.
He says he keeps things simple on the road and prefers driving well under the speed limit; aside from a few speeding tickets from decades ago, his driving record is largely clean.
The renewal was never about proving a point, because as Davis explained to ABC 7 Chicago news, it was more about maintaining his independence and continuing to live life on his own terms.
For him, driving is just another part of staying out and about.
So, what did the process involve?
For veteran Thomas ‘Ed’ Davis, renewing his license simply required him to do a simple vision test, reading letters off a card held up by DPS staff.
That proved a non-issue for Davis, who passed without issue and completed the required paperwork in a matter of minutes.
After finishing up at the DPS office, family and friends joined him to celebrate, and they shared stories, laughed, and noted that longevity clearly runs in the family, as his older brother had just renewed his license at 103.
The DPS has since responded to the news with a clarification.
Click the star icon next to supercarblondie.com in Google Search to stay ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest supercars, hypercars, and ground-breaking technology
The elderly driver expected it to be very different
DPS staff confirmed that the process is designed to be fair and manageable for older drivers.
The test focuses on key abilities without unnecessary complications, which is exactly what Davis experienced, but he admitted he expected something far more difficult.
Instead, the renewal felt almost casual; there were no long exams, no stressful hurdles, literally just a brief check and a successful outcome.
The 101-year-old man walked out with his new license in hand, already thinking ahead.
While he joked that he might not renew again at 103, his experience proved that age does not always dictate ability; sometimes, age really is just a number.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
As a Content Writer since January 2025, Daisy’s focus is on writing stories on topics spanning the entirety of the website. As well as writing about EVs, the history of cars, tech, and celebrities, Daisy is always the first to pitch the seed of an idea to the audience editor team, who collab with her to transform it into a fully informative and engaging story.
