Licensing-renewal procedures for elderly drivers

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Licensing-renewal procedures for elderly drivers

By Insure.com

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 25 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 renewal cycle	Accelerated renewal*	Other 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 license renewal was by mail.
Arizona	Until age 65 (1)	5 years for people 65 and older	People 70 and older may not renew by mail.
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	Mail or electronic renewal not available to people 61 and older and to people whose prior renewal was electronic or by mail.
Connecticut	4-6 years	None that are safety related (2)	None that are safety related (2)
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 drive. At 75 years, or nearest renewal date thereafter, and on each subsequent renewal date, the applicant may be required to also complete the written and road tests.
Florida	6 years with clean record; 4 years otherwise	None	Renewal applicants 80 and older must pass a vision test administered at any driver's license office or if applying for an extension by mail must pass a vision test administered by a licensed physician or optometrist. (3)
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 tests for people 64 and older
Hawaii	6 years	2 years for people 72 and older	None
Idaho	4 years	Effective 1/1/2000 until 1/1/2001, drivers ages 21-62 have the choice of a 4- or 8-years license; drivers 63 and older will receive a 4-years license	None
Illinois	4 years	2 years for drivers ages 81-86; 1 years 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 age 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 renewal (4)
Massachusetts	5 years	None	None that are safety related (4)
Michigan	4 years	None	None
Minnesota	4 years	None	None that are safety related (4)
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 75 birthday, whichever comes first	4 years for drivers 75 and older	A person may not renew by mail for consecutive terms.
Nebraska	5 years	None	None
Nevada	4 years	None	None that are safety related (4)
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	People age 60 and older are not required to parallel park in the road test.
North Dakota	4 years	None	None
Ohio	4 years	None	None
Oklahoma	4 years	None	None that are safety related (5)
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 70 and older	None
South Carolina	10 years (6)	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	Licenses issued to people 65 and older do not expire. (5)
Texas	6 years	None	None
Utah	5 years	None	Vision test required for people 65 and older
Vermont	4 years	None	None
Virginia	5 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
Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

(1) In Arizona, the license is valid until age 65. License holders are required to be photographed and pass a vision test every 12 years until age 65; thereafter, the license is valid for 5 years and a vision test and photograph are required at renewal.

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

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

(4) Some 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 re-examination 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 age with regard to licensing. Minnesota and Nevada law specify that age alone is not a justification for re-examination. In Nevada, applicants for mail renewal age 70 and older must include a medical report.

(5) License fee reduced for drivers age 62 to 64 and is waived for drivers 65 and older in Oklahoma; fees are reduced for drivers 60 and older in Tennessee.

(6) Beginning October 1, 2008 every license will be required to submit to a vision test every 5 years.

Last Updated Sep. 9, 2006

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