This type of thing has been my experience dealing with many US agencies from federal/immigration related to the local/state level. Recently I went to California's DMV to renew my driver's license. I wanted to do this 8 months before it expires, because at the time it looked like I will be outside the country for a couple of months for work. To my utter surprise, I was forced to take a new written test because you can only 'renew a driver's license within 6 months of it's expiry date' without taking a new test. How this makes sense AT ALL boggles my mind. I could understand having to take a test if you lapse your expiry date and try to renew, say, two months too late. But renewing EARLY? Why? How? They also couldn't tell me what would happen to my (still valid) license, if I happen to fail the test. Thankfully I didn't.