If you are new to Texas, you may have already discovered that to get a Texas Driver's License, you'll have to surrender the license you held in another state. And if you've lived here long enough, you also had to hand over your expired Texas ID to get a new one.

Of course, there are workarounds. "I lost it" may make getting a new one a little trickier but at least you get to keep your souvenir. If your Texas DL is expired, you can order a new one online, but you're supposed to destroy the old one.

Having two different DLs or state IDs on your person is illegal in Texas. It's technically illegal for my honey to hold on to my ID in his wallet because I didn't want to bring my purse, but most people will overlook that.

So WHY is it illegal? I had a lot of trouble trying to find an official explanation other than "because we said so" online, but there are some sensible prevailing theories:

To Prevent Identity Theft

This makes a lot of sense. Think of all the places you were able to access or the things you could buy that required an I.D.

If someone looks similar to you, they could use your I.D. to get important private data about you for nefarious things. Imagine someone renting a car or hotel room and trashing it using your I.D., or getting pulled over and the ticket has your name on it.

To Keep Tabs On You

This feels a little Big Brother, but if you have old I.D.s with old addresses, it may make tracking you down more difficult. Let's assume that its for noble reasons, like you got reported as a missing person. But it's probably for warrants, too.

To Keep Minors From Drinking, Etc.

How many stories have you heard about siblings, close friends, etc., "sharing" an I.D. so the younger can drink underage?

To Prevent People From Working Here That Shouldn't Be

What do you need to start working in the U.S.? Usually a DL and a Social Security card. With your old I.D. floating around, someone could use your information to get employment even though it might not be legal for them to do so.

Yes, it might seem like fun to hold on to your old ID, and if you're safe and sensible about it, I'm not going to tattle on you.

However, your ID does hold important personal information that could be used against you. The safest option is to hand it over or cut it up.