Tuesday, 2 October 2007

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Britney applies for a California driver's license

The singer faces a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid license

After temporarily losing custody of her children, Britney Spears sought to address at least one other problem in her life: she applied for a California driver's license.

Spears, 25, handed off sons Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, to a bodyguard for ex Kevin Federline, then drove with a friend to a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Van Nuys, California.

There, Spears filled out paperwork and took a written test. DMV regulations do not require a behind-the-wheel test.

Last month, the singer was charged with misdemeanor driving without a valid California license and hit-and-run following fender-bender in a store parking lot on Aug. 6.

According to the DMV, Spears had never been issued a California license, despite having homes in Los Angeles for years. The state requires people to apply for a license within 10 days of residence.

Records show that Spears does have a Louisiana license valid through December 2009. She apparently had furnished that license to law enforcement on the numerous times she's been pulled over.

"Britney is taking a gamble by continuing to drive when her pending case of driving without a valid California license hasn't been settled yet," says legal expert Lawrence Taylor.

By Pernilla Cedenheim

Additional reporting by Ken Lee