Driver's License Renewal by State
Renewal rules are set state by state: how long the license lasts, what it costs, whether you can do it online and what happens once it has expired all change at the state line. Pick your state below for the current rules, or compare all 51 jurisdictions in the table.
Renewal rules in every state
| State | How long it lasts | Renewal fee | Renew online? | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4 yrs | — | Yes | Alabama Law Enforcement Agency |
| Alaska | — | — | Yes | Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Arizona | varies | — | Yes | Arizona Motor Vehicle Division |
| Arkansas | 8 yrs | $40.00 | No | Arkansas Office of Driver Services |
| California | 5 yrs | $46.00 | Yes | California Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Colorado | — | $34.00 | Yes | Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Connecticut | varies | $72.00 | Yes | Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Delaware | 8 yrs | — | Yes | Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles |
| District of Columbia | 8 yrs | — | Yes | DC Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Florida | — | $48.00 | Yes | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles |
| Georgia | 8 yrs | $32.00 | Yes | Georgia Department of Driver Services |
| Hawaii | 8 yrs | — | — | Hawaii county driver licensing offices |
| Idaho | varies | $35.00 | Yes | Idaho Transportation Department |
| Illinois | — | $30.00 | Yes | Illinois Secretary of State |
| Indiana | varies | — | Yes | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles |
| Iowa | 8 yrs | $4.00 | Yes | Iowa Department of Transportation |
| Kansas | — | — | Yes | Kansas Division of Vehicles |
| Kentucky | varies | $21.50 | Yes | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet |
| Louisiana | — | — | Yes | Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles |
| Maine | — | $30.00 | Yes | Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles |
| Maryland | 8 yrs | $64.00 | Yes | Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration |
| Massachusetts | 5 yrs | $50.00 | Yes | Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles |
| Michigan | 4 yrs | $18.00 | Yes | Michigan Department of State |
| Minnesota | 4 yrs | $41.00 | No | Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services |
| Mississippi | varies | $24.00 | Yes | Mississippi Department of Public Safety |
| Missouri | 6 yrs | $25.50 | Yes | Missouri Department of Revenue |
| Montana | — | — | Yes | Montana Motor Vehicle Division |
| Nebraska | 5 yrs | $29.00 | Yes | Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Nevada | varies | $41.50 | Yes | Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles |
| New Hampshire | — | — | Yes | New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles |
| New Jersey | — | $24.00 | Yes | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission |
| New Mexico | varies | — | Yes | New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division |
| New York | 8 yrs | $64.50 | Yes | New York State Department of Motor Vehicles |
| North Carolina | varies | — | Yes | North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles |
| North Dakota | — | — | Yes | North Dakota Department of Transportation |
| Ohio | varies | $30.25 | Yes | Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles |
| Oklahoma | varies | $38.50 | Yes | Service Oklahoma |
| Oregon | 8 yrs | — | Yes | Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services |
| Pennsylvania | 4 yrs | $39.50 | Yes | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| Rhode Island | 5 yrs | $73.50 | Yes | Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles |
| South Carolina | 8 yrs | $25.00 | Yes | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles |
| South Dakota | — | — | Yes | South Dakota Department of Public Safety |
| Tennessee | 8 yrs | $28.00 | Yes | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security |
| Texas | 8 yrs | $33.00 | Yes | Texas Department of Public Safety |
| Utah | 8 yrs | $52.00 | Yes | Utah Driver License Division |
| Vermont | varies | $62.00 | Yes | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Virginia | 8 yrs | $32.00 | Yes | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Washington | varies | $61.00 | Yes | Washington State Department of Licensing |
| West Virginia | 5 yrs | $5.00 | Yes | West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Wisconsin | 8 yrs | $42.50 | Yes | Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Wyoming | 5 yrs | — | Yes | Wyoming Department of Transportation |
A dash in the fee column means we have no figure confirmed on the agency's own fee page - 34 of 51 are confirmed - not that renewal is free. Those state pages link straight to the agency's fee page instead of printing a number we cannot stand behind.
What renewing actually involves
Wherever you are, a routine renewal is the same three things: proving you are who you say you are, proving you can still see well enough to drive, and paying. What differs is how much of that your state lets you do without walking into an office.
The single most useful thing you can do first is check whether you qualify to renew online, because that is the step that decides whether you need an appointment at all. Almost every state runs an eligibility check before it takes payment, so starting the transaction on the agency site will tell you within a minute - and it tells you before you are charged.
The second is to sort out any vision requirement early. It is the step that most often forces an office visit, and an eye-doctor appointment is usually harder to get than a DMV one.
Common questions
Can I renew my driver's license online?
In most states, yes - 48 of the 50 jurisdictions we checked offer a full online renewal, though every one of them attaches conditions. The usual ones are that you renewed in person last time, that your photo on file is recent enough, that nothing on the license is changing, and that you are under a certain age. Your state page below lists the exact conditions.
How long is a driver's license valid?
It ranges from 4 to 8 years depending on the state, and several states let you choose a shorter or longer term at renewal. Almost every state also shortens the term as drivers get older - the age-based rules are on each state page.
Do I have to retake the written test to renew?
Normally no. A routine renewal is an identity, vision and payment transaction. The written test comes back in two situations: your license has been expired long enough that the state treats you as a new applicant, or your driving record has triggered a re-examination.
What happens if my license has already expired?
States are relaxed about a license that lapsed last month and unforgiving about one that lapsed years ago. Most allow a grace window where you simply renew, often with a late fee; past a certain point you stop being a renewal and start being a new applicant, which means the knowledge test, the road test and the full fees again. The cut-off differs by state and is listed on each state page.
How early can I renew?
Most states open the window months before the expiration date - commonly six months to a year, and in a few cases longer. Renewing early normally does not shorten the new term, so there is rarely a reason to wait.
DMVPrepNow is an independent study site and is not affiliated with any state licensing agency. Every figure here was checked against the responsible agency's own website in August 2026; rules and fees change, so treat the official page linked from each state guide as the authority.
Reviewed by Anton Rafalovskyi · Last verified August 2026