By KOVR Staff | February 18, 2021 at 1:39 AM EST – Updated February 18 at 1:39 AM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KOVR) – In what may be a perfect picture of the COVID-19 pandemic, a California woman was mistakenly issued a driver’s license that featured a photo of her wearing her face mask.
When Lesley Pilgrim received her California Real ID in the mail, she was surprised to see the driver’s license photo showed her wearing her face mask.
“I knew the picture was not going to be good because license pictures are never good, but I did not expect the picture to be with my mask on,” Pilgrim said.
The day she went to the Department of Motor Vehicles for the photo, Pilgrim says she didn’t want to risk taking her mask off without explicit instructions, for fear she’d be sent to the back of the 3-hour line.
“They were very strict,” Pilgrim said. “So, I’m going to be very compliant and listen and follow every instruction, maybe to a fault.”
When it was her turn, the DMV employee took two photos: the first, still wearing her mask and the second, without it out.
“I sign it then go home, and unfortunately, he had used the picture with my mask on, and that’s what showed up on my Real ID,” Pilgrim said. “Even the people at the DMV are human, and we all make mistakes.”
The DMV issued a statement calling the incident an “oversight.”
“The customer should have been asked to lower her mask for the photo. The DMV will investigate how this may have happened and remind staff of proper procedures,” the statement read.
A DMV spokesperson said although Pilgrim’s Real ID is technically valid, they will still ask her to return for a no fee duplicate photo without her mask. They said this is the only instance of this kind of mistake they are aware of.
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