Restrictions on senior drivers’ license renewals haven’t been shown to be particularly beneficial for safety.
Only broad informational aims are served by the preparation of this content. It ought to be independently confirmed as there is no guarantee that it is up to date. When thinking about how a law might relate to your situation, don’t base your decision on it.
June 2024
| LICENSE RENEWAL CYCLE | PROOF OF ADEQUATE VISION REQUIRED AT RENEWAL | MAIL OR ONLINE RENEWAL PERMITTED |
|---|
| State | General population | Older population | General population | Older population | General population | Older population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL – Alabama US state |
4 years | 4 years | no | no | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| AK – Alaska US state |
5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 69 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 69 and older |
| AZ – Arizona US state |
12 years | 5 years for people 65 and older | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
| AR – Arkansas US state |
8 years | 4 or 8 years for people 70 and older, personal option | every other renewal | every other renewal | no | no |
| CA – California US state |
5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 70 and older, every renewal | both, limited to 2 consecutive renewals | not permitted 80 and older |
| CO –
Colorado
US state
|
5 years | 5 years | every renewal | every renewal | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years |
| CT –
Connecticut
US state |
8 or 6 years, phasing from a 6 year to 8 year cycle | 2 years permitted for people 65 and older, personal option | no | no | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| DE – Delaware US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
| DC – District of Columbia US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
| FL – Florida US state |
8 years | 6 years for people 80 and older | when renewing in person | 80 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| GA – Georgia US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| HI – Hawaii US state |
8 years | 2 years for people 72 and older | every renewal | every renewal | both, limited to 2 consecutive renewals, but must appear in person at least every 16 years (effective 07/01/25) | both, limited to 2 consecutive renewals, but must appear in person at least every 16 years (effective 07/01/25) |
| ID – Idaho US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 years for people 63 and older | every renewal | every renewal | by mail, every other renewal; must choose 4-year license | not permitted 70 and older |
| IL – Illinois US state |
4 years | 2 years for people 81 – 86; 1 year for people 87 and older | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 75 and older |
| IN – Indiana US state |
6 years | 3 years for people 75-84: 2 years for people 85 and older | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| IA – Iowa US state |
8 years or 80th birthday, whichever occurs first | 2 years for people 78 and older | when renewing in person | 70 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
| KS – Kansas US state |
6 years | 4 years for people 65 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 65 and older |
| KY – Kentucky US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 or 8 years, personal option | every renewal | every renewal | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years |
| LA – Louisiana US state |
6 years | 6 years | when renewing in person | 70 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and olderFootnote1 |
| ME – Maine US state |
6 years | 4 years for people 65 and older | first renewal after 40 and every other renewal until 62 | 62 and older, every renewal | both, unless proof of vision required | not permitted 62 and older |
| MD – Maryland US state |
8 years | 8 years | when renewing in person | 40 and older, every renewal | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years | both, if photograph is newer than 16 years |
| MA – Massachusetts US state |
5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 75 and older |
| MI – Michigan US state |
4 years | 4 years | when renewing in person | when renewing in person | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| MN – Minnesota US state |
4 years | 4 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
| MS – Mississippi US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 or 8 years, personal option | no | no | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| MO – Missouri US state |
6 years | 3 years for people 70 and older | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
| MT – Montana US state |
12 years or 75th birthday, whichever occurs first | 4 years for people 75 and older | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| NE – Nebraska US state |
5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 72 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 72 and older |
| NV – Nevada US state |
4 years (odd number birth years); 8 years (even number birth years); 8 years all licenses starting in 2018 | 4 years for people 65 and older | when renewing in person | 71 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal; available only for holders of a 4-year license | both, every other renewal for people 65 and older |
| NH – New Hampshire US state |
5 years | 5 years | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| NJ – New Jersey US state |
4 years | 2 or 4 years for people 70 and older, personal option | every 10 yearsFootnote2 | every 10 yearsFootnote2 | both, unless new photo requiredFootnote3 | bothFootnote3 |
| NM – New Mexico US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 years for people 71-78; 1 year for people 79 and older | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal; by mail, unless new photo required | not permitted 75 and older |
| NY – New York US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both | both |
| NC – North Carolina US state |
8 years | 5 years for people 66 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| ND – North Dakota US state |
6 years | 4 years for people 78 and older | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
| OH – Ohio US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 years for people 65 and older | when renewing in person | 65 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal if applying for a 4 year license | not permitted 65 and older |
| OK – Oklahoma US state |
4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 or 8 years, personal option | no | no | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| OR – Oregon US state |
8 years | 8 years | no | 50 and older if renewing in person | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| PA – Pennsylvania US state |
4 years | 2 years or 4 years for people 65 and older, personal option | no | no | both | both |
| RI – Rhode Island US state |
5 years | 2 years for people 75 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| SC – South Carolina US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both | both |
| SD – South Dakota US state |
5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 65 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
| TN – Tennessee US state |
8 years | 8 years | no | no | both | both |
| TX – Texas US state |
8 years | 2 years for people 85 and older | when renewing in person | 79 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 79 and older |
| UT – Utah US state |
8 years | 8 years | when renewing in person | 65 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| VT – Vermont US state |
2 or 4 years | 2 or 4 years | no | no | by mail, unless new photo requiredFootnote5 | by mail, unless new photo requiredFootnote5 |
| VA – Virginia US state |
8 years | 5 years for people 75 and older | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 75 and older |
| WA – Washington US state |
6 or 8 years, personal option | 6 or 8 years, personal option | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
| WV – West Virginia US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
| WI – Wisconsin US state |
8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
| WY – Wyoming US state |
5 years | 5 years | every renewal | every renewal | by mail, every other renewal | by mail, every other renewal
|
Notes
Note 1 If a driver is 70 years of age or older and has a medical diagnosis that prevents them from renewing in person, they may do so by mail or online as long as they submit a sworn affidavit from a physician attesting to their ability to perform all cognitive functions reasonably required to drive safely.
2: New Jersey Statute 39:3-10c states, “The division shall require every licensed driver to take and successfully pass a screening of his vision at least once every 10 years as a condition for the renewal of his driver’s license and of any endorsement thereon.
3: According to N.J. Stat. § 39:3-10f, a motorist 64 years of age or younger may renew their license twice in a row for a maximum of four years using a stored photo; however, the picture may not be used more than once every twelve years. When renewing a regular basic driver’s license, drivers 65 years of age and above are permitted to utilize a stored photo for as long as possible.
FAQs
Are there any restrictions on senior drivers' license renewals?
Yes, there are various restrictions on senior drivers' license renewals, such as reduced renewal periods, mandatory vision tests, and limitations on mail or online renewals. These restrictions vary by state.
Do senior drivers have to undergo vision tests for license renewals?
Yes, in many states, senior drivers are required to undergo vision tests during every license renewal. The specific requirements differ by state and age.
Can senior drivers renew their licenses online or by mail?
In some states, senior drivers can renew their licenses online or by mail, but there are often restrictions based on age. For example, online renewal may not be permitted for seniors above a certain age, such as 70 or 75 years old.
How often do senior drivers need to renew their licenses?
The frequency of license renewals for senior drivers varies by state. Some states require renewals every 2 to 4 years for older drivers, while others may have longer renewal cycles.
Are there any states that offer the same renewal cycle for all ages?
Yes, some states, like Alabama and Delaware, have the same renewal cycle for both the general population and older drivers.
