Depending on where you live, renewing your driver’s license can involve online renewals every four years, in person renewals every 10 years, and endless other combinations of available services and policies.
With such variety in the options for driver’s license renewals, we wanted to see a state-by-state comparison to understand the implications of moving and to assess how each state handles this essential DMV function.
Using information that we pulled from the state information pages on DMV.com, here are the compiled results on the differences between each state’s driver’s license renewals.
How Can You Renew Your Driver’s License?
The available driver’s license renewal methods are not the same across the country. Whereas some states have embraced digital options — including online renewals — other states have implemented alternate solutions such as renew by mail.
Below, we’ve categorized each state’s driver’s license renewal options by the breadth of access.
- Renew Your Driver’s License Online
Instead of waiting in line at the DMV, you can use the internet to renew in these states.
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- Wisconsin
- Limited Online Renewals
These states have online renewals, but there are restrictions in availability such as every other renewal or only for “safe drivers.”
- Alternative Renewal Methods
Instead of going online, you can renew using alternate methods in these states such as renew by mail, kiosk, phone, or at locations other than the DMV.
- Limited Alternative Renewal Methods
These states have implemented alternate renewal methods listed above; however, there are restrictions such as mail-in renewals for the military or for those living in certain counties.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- In-Person Renewals
Visit your local DMV office to renew your driver’s license.
How Long Is Your Driver’s License Valid?
Whereas some states require frequent driver’s license renewals, other states take a patient approach with longer time spans between renewals. In particular, Arizona doesn’t require renewals, but every 12 years, photos and vision exams need to be updated.
Below are the number of years that a driver’s license is valid for the general population. Expect to see alternate policies for different age groups.
Number of Years a Driver’s License Is Valid for the General Population
- Vermont 2 or 4 years
- Colorado 3 years
- Alabama 4 years
- Illinois 4
- Kentucky 4
- Michigan 4
- Minnesota 4
- Mississippi 4
- New Jersey 4
- Ohio 4
- Oklahoma 4
- Pennsylvania 4
- North Dakota 4 – 6
- New Mexico 4 or 8
- Alaska 5 years
- California 5
- Delaware 5
- Massachusetts 5
- Nebraska 5
- New Hampshire 5
- Rhode Island 5
- South Dakota 5
- Utah 5
- Washington D.C.5
- West Virginia 5
- Maryland 5 – 8
- Connecticut 6 years
- Indiana 6
- Kansas 6
- Louisiana 6
- Maine 6
- Missouri 6
- Texas 6
- Washington 6
- Arkansas 8 years
- Florida 8
- Georgia 8
- Hawaii 8
- Idaho 8
- Iowa 8
- Montana 8
- Nevada 8
- New York 8
- North Carolina 8
- Oregon 8
- Tennessee 8
- Virginia 8
- Wisconsin 8
- Wyoming 8
- South Carolina 10 years
- Arizona 12 years
Annual Cost of Having a Driver’s License
As with the other policies, costs can vary widely as well. Instead of ranking states by the cost that you pay during renewal, we looked at the cost per year so that you can see a true comparison of the general population’s driver’s license fees.
Cost Per Year for a Driver’s License
- Arizona $1.00
- Iowa $1.25
- Wyoming $1.88
- Tennessee $2.44
- West Virginia $2.50 (Not including $0.50 motor vehicle fee)
- South Carolina $2.50
- Indiana $2.92
- Kansas $3.00
- North Dakota $3.75+
- Alaska $4.00
- Georgia $4.00
- Virginia $4.00
- Texas $4.17
- Wisconsin $4.25
- New Mexico $4.25 – $4.50
- Michigan $4.50
- Kentucky $5.00
- Delaware $5.00
- Utah $5.00
- Maine $5.00
- Arkansas $5.00
- Hawaii $5.00
- North Carolina $5.00
- Oregon $5.00
- Montana $5.06
- Nevada $5.28
- Nebraska $5.30
- Louisiana $5.38
- South Dakota $5.60
- Missouri $5.83
- Mississippi $6.00
- New Jersey $6.00
- Florida $6.00
- Maryland $6.00
- Minnesota $6.31
- Ohio $6.44
- California $6.60
- Idaho $6.88+ (More for shorter time frames)
- Illinois $7.50
- Pennsylvania $7.63
- Washington D.C. $7.80
- New York $8.03
- Oklahoma $8.38
- Colorado $8.67
- Washington $9.00
- Alabama $9.06
- Massachusetts $10.00
- New Hampshire $10.00
- Connecticut $12.00
- Rhode Island $12.30
- Vermont $12.75 – $16.00
Learn how you can make your DMV tasks easier at DMV.com.