The announcement that the Department of Motor Vehicles will change its license requirements is welcome news for Albany resident Kathy Young. She wishes it could have come sooner.

At 76, Young’s experience is typical of the reason the DMV sought revisions to give it more leeway in issuing driver’s license renewals.

When Young went for her renewal in August, she was met by the full force of the law that took effect July 1. It created a struggle to prove who she was.

The law imposed stricter requirements in hopes of quelling illegal immigration. People, mostly women like Young, were caught in the middle.

When she went to renew, she faced what became almost a monumental burden of proof. She needed proof of her current legal name, legal presence in the country, identity, date of birth, Social Security number and an Oregon residence address.

“They sent me a notice of what to bring. I thought I had everything,” said Young, who went to the DMV on Aug. 26. “I took photocopies but that isn’t acceptable. Then they took my license and it hadn’t even expired.”

Requirements do state documents must be originals and Young returned a day later thinking she was in compliance. Not so.

“I dug out the originals I had but I was turned down again,” Young said.

She got a temporary license to use while she tracks down the documentation. The state’s revision could help solve what has become a major problem for Young.

Originally from Washington and married and widowed four times, her search meant contacting numerous agencies located in two states. She said getting each document — four marriage licenses — can cost up to $20 each.

“I’m on fixed income. I can’t afford that,” she said.

Young contacted various agencies hoping to get help but other than hearing she wasn’t the first to seek advice for the problem, no one could provide a solution.

DMV spokesman David House said since the rules were put in, the major complaints were from people like Young, prompting the agency to ask for a revision.

Young said DMV officials didn’t tell her which documents were acceptable.

According to House, normal procedure would have been to point out specific documents a customer would need to go and get.

The DMV also had to learn to deal with the rules.

“We’ve faced situations we haven’t seen before,” he said.

To ease some of the problems, there are customer care units to help guide people through the process at each site. He said representatives can explain specifics of what a customer needs and offer contact information directing people where to get required documents.

Young, who suffers from asthma and is recuperating from a broken ankle and wrist, also wasn’t able to get her handicap parking permit renewed. She settled for a temporary permit good through February.

Wednesday’s announced revision allowing a driver’s license as proof of one’s current name can eliminate having to bring original marriage licenses. It was a relief to Young and her daughter, Karen Carver, who felt the rules proved to be a hardship that shouldn’t exist.

“I can see going through this the first time you get a license but an existing license in the system should be easier,” she said.