License renewal procedures by state
Due to COVID-19, many states have made temporary operational changes. For the current status, please check with the state licensing authority.
February 2023
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 | 4 years | 4 years | no | no | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
AK | 5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 69 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 69 and older |
AZ | 12 years | 5 years for people 65 and older | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
AR | 8 years | 4 or 8 years for people 70 and older, personal option | every other renewal | every other renewal | no | no |
CA | 5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 70 and older, every renewal | both, limited to 2 consecutive renewals | not permitted 70 and older |
CO | 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 | 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 | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
DC | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
FL | 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 | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
HI | 8 years | 2 years for people 72 and older | every renewal | every renewal | by mail, limited to 2 consecutive renewals, but must appear in person at least every 16 years | by mail, limited to 2 consecutive renewals, but must appear in person at least every 16 years |
ID | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 6 years | 4 years for people 65 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 65 and older |
KY | 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 | 6 years | 6 years | when renewing in person | 70 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and olderFootnote 1 |
ME | 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 | 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 | 5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 75 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 75 and older |
MI | 4 years | 4 years | when renewing in person | when renewing in person | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
MN | 4 years | 4 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
MS | 4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 or 8 years, personal option | no | no | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
MO | 6 years | 3 years for people 70 and older | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
MT | 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 | 5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 72 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | not permitted 72 and older |
NV | 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 | 5 years | 5 years | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
NJ | 4 years | 2 or 4 years for people 70 and older, personal option | every 10 yearsFootnote 2 | every 10 yearsFootnote 2 | both, unless new photo requiredFootnote 3 | bothFootnote 3 |
NM | 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 | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both | both |
NC | 8 years | 5 years for people 66 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
ND | 6 years | 4 years for people 78 and older | every renewal | every renewal | both, every other renewal | not permitted 70 and older |
OH | 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 | 4 or 8 years, personal option | 4 or 8 years, personal option | no | no | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
OR | 8 years | 8 years | no | 50 and older if renewing in person | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
PA | 4 years | 2 years or 4 years for people 65 and older, personal option | no | no | both | both |
RI | 5 years | 2 years for people 75 and older | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
SC | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | both | both |
SD | 5 years | 5 years | when renewing in person | 65 and older, every renewal | both, every other renewal | both, every other renewal |
TN | 8 yearsFootnote 4 | 8 yearsFootnote 4 | no | no | both | both |
TX | 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 | 8 years | 8 years | when renewing in person | 65 and older, every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
VT | 2 or 4 years | 2 or 4 years | no | no | by mail, unless new photo requiredFootnote 5 | by mail, unless new photo requiredFootnote 5 |
VA | 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 | 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 | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | online, every other renewal | online, every other renewal |
WI | 8 years | 8 years | every renewal | every renewal | no | no |
WY | 5 years | 5 years | every renewal | every renewal | by mail, every other renewal | by mail, every other renewal |