Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I have a driver license. Or is it a driver’s license, apostrophe-s?
State legislation differs on whether you have a driver license or a driver’s license. The grammatical difference is subtle: Can the license be described as a “driver,” as in “driver license,” or does the license belong to a driver, as in “driver’s license?”
Personally, I default to “driver license.” Grammatically, this makes the most sense to me because you can have a license that doesn’t yet belong to anyone, but still belongs in the category of “driver.” But if you really want to make sure you’re accurate, the only way to really know is to look up state law pertaining to these little plastic cards wherever you happen to be located.
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