U.S. Driver Licensing Renewal Procedures for Older Drivers

Initial licensing procedures vary substantially in the United States. Renewal procedures, however, are not as varied. Applicants' driving records are checked to ensure there are no suspensions or revocations and, if not, upon payment of renewal fees new licenses are issued. Most states require renewal applicants to appear in person and to pass a vision test. The significant differences are the length of time between renewals, ranging from 2 to 8 years, and the existence of provisions in 20 states and the District of Columbia designed to guarantee that older adults continue to meet license requirements.

Renewal procedures for older drivers include accelerated renewal cycles that provide for shorter renewal intervals for drivers older than a specified age, typically 65 or 70; a requirement that they renew their licenses in person rather than electronically or by mail where remote renewal is permitted; and testing that is not routinely required of younger drivers (vision and road tests, for example). These special renewal procedures for older drivers apply in addition to the license renewal procedures that exist in all states for dealing with licensed drivers of any age who no longer meet the standards for licensure because of physical or mental infirmities.

If a person's continued fitness to drive is in doubt, because of the person's appearance or demeanor at renewal or because of a history of crashes or violations, reports by physicians, police, and others, state licensing agencies may require renewal applicants to undergo physical or mental examinations or retake the standard licensing tests (vision, written, and road). States typically have medical review boards composed of health care professionals who advise on licensing standards and on individual cases in which a person's ability to drive safely is in doubt.

After reviewing a person's fitness to drive, the licensing agency may allow the person to retain the license, refuse to renew the license, or suspend, revoke, or restrict the license. Typical restrictions prohibit nighttime driving, require the vehicle to have additional mirrors, or restrict driving to specified places or a limited radius from the driver's home. Where the renewal cycle is not shorter for older drivers, licensing agencies have the authority to shorten the renewal cycle for individual license holders if their condition warrants.

The following chart indicates for the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia the periods for which licenses can be renewed, any accelerated renewal periods for older drivers, and other miscellaneous provisions applicable to older drivers.

Please direct any questions or comments to Michele Fields at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1005 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201-4751; Tel. 703/247- 1500; Fax 703/247-1586.

State	Length of Renewal Cycle	SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OLDER DRIVERS
State	Length of Renewal Cycle	Accelerated Renewal	Other Provisions
Alabama	4 yr.	None	None
Alaska	5 yr.	None	Mail renewal not available to people 69 and older and to people whose prior renewal was by mail.
Arizona	Until age 65¹	5 yr. for people 65 and older	People 70 and older may not renew by mail.
Arkansas	4 yr.	None	None
California	5 yr.	None	At age 70, mail renewal is prohibited. No more than two sequential mail renewals are permitted, regardless of age.
Colorado	10 yr. (eff. 7/1/01)	5 yr. for people 61 and older (eff. 7/1/01)	Mail renewal not available to people 66 and older and to people whose prior renewal was by mail.
Connecticut	4 yr.	None that are safety related²	None that are safety related²
Delaware	5 yr.	None	None
District of Columbia	5 yr.	None	None
Florida	6 yr. with clean record; 4 yr. otherwise	None	None³

State	Length of Renewal Cycle	SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OLDER DRIVERS
State	Length of Renewal Cycle	Accelerated Renewal	Other Provisions
Georgia	4 yr.	None	None
Hawaii	6 yr.	2 yr. for people 72 and older	None
Idaho	4 yr.	Drivers ages 21-62 have the choice of a 4- or 8-yr. license; drivers 63 and older will receive a 4-yr. license	None
Illinois	4 yr.	2 yr. for drivers ages 81-86; 1 yr. for drivers 87 and older	Renewal applicants 75 and older must take a road test.
Indiana	4 yr.	3 yr. for drivers 75 and older	None⁴
Iowa	2 or 4 yr. at driver's option	2 yr. for drivers 70 and older	None
Kansas	6 yr.	4 yr. for drivers 65 and older	None
Kentucky	4 yr.	None	None
Louisiana	4 yr.	None	Mail renewal not available to people 70 and older and to people whose prior renewal was by mail.
Maine	6 yr.	4 yr. for drivers 65 and older	Vision test required at first renewal after driver's 40th birthday and at every second renewal until age 62; thereafter, at every renewal.

State	Length of Renewal Cycle	SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OLDER DRIVERS
State	Length of Renewal Cycle	Accelerated Renewal	Other Provisions
Maryland	5 yr.	None	None that are safety related⁵
Massachusetts	5 yr.	None	None that are safety related⁵
Michigan	4 yr.	None	None
Minnesota	4 yr.	None	None that are safety related⁵
Mississippi	4 yr.	None	None
Missouri	6 yr.	3 yr. for drivers 69 and older and 21 and younger	None
Montana	8 yr. or 4yr. if by mail	4 yr. for drivers 75 and older	None
Nebraska	5 yr.	None	None
Nevada	4 yr.	None	None that are safety related⁵
New Hampshire	4 yr.	None	Renewal applicants age 75 and older must take a road test.

State	Length of Renewal Cycle	SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OLDER DRIVERS
State	Length of Renewal Cycle	Accelerated Renewal	Other Provisions
New Jersey	4 yr.	None	None
New Mexico	4 or 8 yr. at driver's option	4 yrs. for drivers who would turn 75 in the last half of an 8-yr. renewal cycle	None
New York	5 yr.	None	None
North Carolina	5 yr.	None	People 60 and older are not required to parallel park in the road test.
North Dakota	4 yr.	None	None
Ohio	4 yr.	None	None
Oklahoma	4 yr.	None	None that are safety related⁶
Oregon	4 yr.	None	Vision screening is required every 8 yr. for drivers 50 and older.
Pennsylvania	4 yr.	None	None
Rhode Island	5 yr.	2 yr. for drivers 70 and older	None

State	Length of Renewal Cycle	SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR OLDER DRIVERS
State	Length of Renewal Cycle	Accelerated Renewal	Other Provisions
South Carolina	6 yr.	None	None
South Dakota	5 yr.	None	None
Tennessee	5 yr.	None	Licenses issued to people 65 and older do not expire ⁶
Texas	6 yr.	None	None
Utah	5 yr.	None	Vision test required for people 65 and older
Vermont	4 yr.	None	None
Virginia	5 yr.	None	None
Washington	5 yr.	None	None
West Virginia	5 yr.	None	None
Wisconsin	8 yr.	None	None
Wyoming	4 yr.	None	None

²In Connecticut, people 65 and older may choose a 2-year renewal cycle. A personal appearance at renewal generally is required. Upon a showing of hardship, people 65 and older may renew by mail.

³In Florida, only two successive renewals may be made electronically or by mail, regardless of age.

⁴In Indiana, until December 3, 1998, renewal applicants 75 and older were required to take a road test.

⁵Some states' licensing laws specifically prohibit licensing administrators from treating people differently solely by virtue of advanced age. Maryland law specifies that age alone is not a grounds for reexamination of drivers; applicants for an initial license age 70 and older must provide proof of previous satisfactory operation of a vehicle or physician's certificate of fitness. Massachusetts law prohibits discrimination by reason of age with regard to licensing. Minnesota and Nevada law specify that age alone is not a justification for reexamination. In Nevada, applicants for mail renewal age 70 and older must include a medical report.

⁶License fee reduced for drivers 62-64 and are waived for drivers 65 and older in Oklahoma; fees are reduced for drivers 60 and older in Tennessee.