The holiday season is a good time to get driver’s licenserenewals to avoid big crowds in the bureaus, according toofficials.

“We’re usually slower from now through December,” said TrooperDonna Dampier of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Driver’sLicense Bureau. “I guess it’s because everyone is busier gettingready for the holidays.”

That makes it a good time to come in and renew licenses, shesaid, because there is less waiting time. Licenses can renewed upto six months in advance.

“When you get to the desk, we can get you out five minutes,”Dampier said. “It’s the waiting to get to the desk that usuallyties everyone up.”

Driver’s license bureaus are permanently located at the Troop Mheadquarters on Highway 84 and at Edgewood Mall in McComb betweenMcRae’s and JCPenney’s. Testing is done at these stations from 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The MHP Travel Team, which carries all the necessary licensingequipment with them to neighboring counties to issue or renewlicenses, visits Monticello on the first Tuesday and Prentiss onthe second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The team is located inthe public library in each town and conducts testing from8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. on those days.

“The demand is just not there for more than one visit a month(in Monticello),” Dampier said, “but people can come to anydriver’s license bureau in the state to get a new license. Theydon’t have to go to the county in which they reside.”

Service is no quicker at the permanent stations than with thetravel teams, she said.