Licensing renewal provisions for older drivers

November 2008

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 and the existence of provisions in 26 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 US 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.

The Institute also tracks state laws on teenage licensing.

State	Length of regular renewal cycle	Accelerated renewal	Other provisions
		Special provisions for older drivers
Alabama	4 years	none	none
Alaska	5 years	none	mail renewal not available to people 69 and older and to people whose prior renewal was by mail
Arizona	until age 65¹	5 years for people 65 and older	people 70 and older may not renew by mail¹
Arkansas	4 years	none	none
California	5 years	none	at age 70, mail renewal is prohibited; no more than two sequential mail renewals are permitted, regardless of age
Colorado	10 years	5 years for people 61 and older	people 66 and older cannot renew electronically, but they can renew by mail if a licensed physician or optometrist certifies that they passed a vision exam given within the prior six months; no one may renew by mail or electronically whose prior renewal was by mail or electronic
Connecticut	4 years or 6 years	none that are safety related²	none that are safety related²
Delaware	5 years	none	none
District of Columbia	5 years	none	at age 70, or nearest renewal date thereafter, a vision test is required and a reaction test may be required; applicant must provide a statement from a practicing physician certifying the applicant to be physically and mentally competent to drive³
Florida	8 years	6 years for people 80 and older	renewal applicants 80 and older must pass a vision test administered at any driver's license office or if applying by mail or electronically must pass a vision test administered by a licensed physician or optometrist⁴
Georgia	5 or 10 years, at the option of the driver; veterans’ licenses are valid until age 65	5 years for people 60 and older	vision test for people 64 and older
Hawaii	8 years	2 years for people 72 and older	none
Idaho	4 years	drivers ages 21-62 have the choice of a 4- or 8-year license; drivers 63 and older will receive a 4-year license	none
Illinois	4 years	2 years for drivers ages 81-86; 1 year for drivers 87 and older	renewal applicants 75 and older must take a road test
Indiana	4 years	3 years for drivers 75 and older	none
Iowa	5 years	2 years for drivers 70 and older	none
Kansas	6 years	4 years for drivers 65 and older	none
Kentucky	4 years	none	none
Louisiana	4 years	none	mail renewal not available to people 70 and older and to people whose prior renewal was by mail
Maine	6 years	4 years 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
Maryland	5 years	none	vision test required at age 40 and older at every renewal⁵
Massachusetts	5 years	none	none that are safety related⁶
Michigan	4 years	none	none
Minnesota	4 years	none	none that are safety related⁷
Mississippi	4 years	none	none
Missouri	6 years	3 years for drivers 70 and older and 21 and younger	none
Montana	8 years, 4 years if by mail, or on 75th birthday, whichever occurs first⁸	4 years for drivers 75 and older	none that are safety related⁸
Nebraska	5 years	none	none
Nevada	4 years	none	none that are safety related⁹
New Hampshire	5 years	none	renewal applicants age 75 and older must take a road test
New Jersey	4 years	none	none
New Mexico	4 or 8 years at driver's option	4 years for drivers who would turn 75 in the last half of an 8-year renewal cycle	none
New York	5 years	none	none
North Carolina	8 years	5 years for drivers 54 and older	none that are safety related¹⁰
North Dakota	4 years	none	none
Ohio	4 years	none	none
Oklahoma	4 years	none	none that are safety related¹¹
Oregon	8 years	none	vision screening is required every 8 years for drivers 50 and older
Pennsylvania	4 years	none	none
Rhode Island	5 years	2 years for drivers 75 and older	none
South Carolina	10 years¹²	5 years for drivers 65 and older	vision test required for people 65 and older
South Dakota	5 years	none	none
Tennessee	5 years	none	none that are safety related¹³
Texas	6 years	2 years for drivers 85 and older	mail or electronic renewal not available to people 79 and older
Utah	5 years	none	vision test required for people 65 and older
Vermont	4 years	none	none
Virginia	8 years	none	vision test required for people 80 and older
Washington	5 years	none	none
West Virginia	5 years	none	none
Wisconsin	8 years	none	none
Wyoming	4 years	none	none

¹In Arizona, the license is valid until age 65. Any person 65 years and older who is renewing by mail must submit a vision test verification form, provided by the department, or verification of an examination of the applicant's eyesight. The vision test or examination must be conducted not more than 3 months before.

²In Connecticut, people 65 and older may choose a 2-year or 6-year renewal cycle. A personal appearance at renewal generally is required. Upon a showing of hardship, people 65 and older may renew by mail.

³The District of Columbia specifically states that an applicant shall not be required to retake the written or road test based solely on advanced age.

⁴Florida allows only two successive renewals may be made electronically or by mail, regardless of age.

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 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.

⁶Some states' licensing laws specifically prohibit licensing administrators from treating people differently solely by virtue of advanced age. Massachusetts law prohibits discrimination by reason of age with regard to licensing.

⁷Some states' licensing laws specifically prohibit licensing administrators from treating people differently solely by virtue of advanced age. Minnesota law specifies that age alone is not a justification for reexamination.

⁸Montana allows only two successive renewals may be made electronically or by mail, regardless of age.

⁹Some states' licensing laws specifically prohibit licensing administrators from treating people differently solely by virtue of advanced age. Nevada law specifies that age alone is not a justification for reexamination. In Nevada, applicants for mail renewal age 70 and older must include a medical report.

¹⁰In North Carolina, people 60 and older are not required to parallel park in the road test.

¹¹In Oklahoma, the license fee is reduced for drivers 62-64 and is waived for drivers 65 and older.

¹²Beginning 10/01/08, every licensee will be required to submit to a vision test every 5 years.

¹³In Tennessee, fees are reduced for drivers 60 and older and licenses issued to people 65 and older do not expire.