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2022 | Texas Drivers License Renewal

You may renew most driver’s licenses and identity cards for up to two years before and beyond their expiry date.

During this period, you have various easy choices for renewing your Texas driving license or identification card, including: Online, By Telephone, By Mail, or In-person at your local driver’s license office.

Renewal by Phone or Online 

Online or by phone is the most convenient method to renew your Texas driving license, motorcycle license, or identity card. 

You must satisfy the following criteria: 

Driver’s license in Texas.

You most recently renewed your driver’s license in person at a Texas DMV location. 

You hold a Class C, M, or CM driver’s license or a Class A, AM, B, BM, C, or CM commercial driver’s license that does not have a hazardous material endorsement. You cannot renew a commercial driving license online with a hazardous materials endorsement. 

Your driver’s license is either about to expire or has expired for less than two years. 

You are at least 30 days from turning 18, and your driver’s license is temporary. 

You are less than 79 years old. 

Your eyesight, as well as your physical and mental health, have not altered in such a manner that your ability to drive safely has been jeopardized since your previous renewal. 

You have a commercial driver’s license, and your medical certificate is current and not expired. 

Your license is valid (it has not been suspended or revoked), and you have no outstanding warrants or unpaid fines. 

You are a citizen of the United States. 

Identification Card for Texas 

Your ID card was last renewed at a Texas driver’s licensing office. 

Your ID card is either about to expire or has expired for less than two years. 

You are at least 18 years old. 

You are a citizen of the United States. 

Your Social Security Number (SSN) is already in their system. 

If you satisfy the criteria for the card you’re seeking to renew, you’ll need the following to complete the process: 

Yours most recently issued Texas driver’s license or identification card (the one you’re renewing) and the card’s audit number. If you do not have the audit number, you will be asked security questions to prove your identification and will be charged an extra cost. 

If you renew online, you will need a printer or an email account to print or send your temporary driving license and payment receipt. No temporary driving license or receipt will be supplied when renewing by phone. 

A legitimate credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express). 

Your Social Security Number’s last four digits. 

Renewal by Mail 

If you got a renewal invitation in the mail, you might also renew online or by phone. 

In-person at a Driving Licensing Office Near You 

You may prepare for your Driver License Office visit using the interactive REAL ID Document Check Application. Follow the instructions, and you will have a tailored checklist of papers to bring with you for your visit. 

If you cannot renew online, by phone, or by mail, you must go to your nearest driver’s license office for help. To check your driving license eligibility. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the necessary paperwork, you’ll need to perform the following: 

Before visiting your local office, fill out the renewal application (This form is available at all driver’s license offices). 

Schedule an appointment with a driver’s license office. 

Provide the license and permit expert with the necessary documentation: 

Application for a driving license or identification card U.S. Citizenship (regardless of whether you have previously supplied this information) or, if you are not a U.S. Citizen, proof of legal presence.

Identity (just one main, secondary, or supporting documentation is necessary) and Social Security Number are required. 

Sign the driver’s license or identification card. 

Provide thumbprints. 

Have your picture taken. 

Make payment for the application cost. 

Pass the eyesight test. 

You will also be prompted to verify personal information such as your date of birth or Social Security number. 

If your Social Security Number is not already on the driver’s record, you must supply documentation to prove it. (For a driver’s license and an ID, documents proving a Social Security Number are necessary.) 

Before you renew your Texas DL or ID, they will need you to verify your social security number (SSN), identity, and citizenship to improve security, decrease the risk of identity theft or fraud, and safeguard the integrity of the issuing process. 

Renewal of an Expired License 

Driver licenses or identification cards that have been inactive for more than two years cannot be renewed. If your driver’s license or identification card has been inactive for more than two years, you must: 

Visit the License Eligibility page to confirm your eligibility to apply for a driver’s license. 

Comply with all criteria for a new ID card or driver’s license (including taking the knowledge and driving tests).

Apply in person at a driver’s license office as a new applicant for Driver’s Licenses or ID Cards (Drivers Age 79 or Older).

You must renew your driver’s license or ID card in person at a driver’s licensing office if you are 79 years old or older. 

Provisional and Learner’s Permits (Under 18) 

If you are under 18, you must renew your license in person at a driver’s licensing office. Fill out the renewal form and bring one of the following:

Form for Verification of Enrollment (VOE) (VOE needs a signature. A school official’s stamped or computer-produced signature is allowed), or a High School Diploma or Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED). 

The most current report card, which contains attendance data (this may be accepted during the summer when school is not in session) 

When converting a learner license to a provisional license, you must provide proof of completion of driving education. 

If you presented a VOE to get your learner license, you do not need one for renewal. 

What Do I Need to Bring to Texas to Renew my Driver’s License? 

You will need to bring the following items: 

A request for renewal. 

Proof of citizenship if you have not previously supplied proof, or updated evidence of lawful presence if you have not previously provided proof. 

Identity verification. 

A copy of your social security card. 

Refer to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s checklist for further information on whether documents fulfill evidence of Social Security number, proof of identity, citizenship, or legal presence. 

When you have all of the necessary paperwork, you must: 

Before visiting your local driver’s license office, fill out the renewal application. 

Locate your nearest office. 

Bring all the necessary papers with you.

Pass an eyesight test. 

Leave your thumbprint. 

Have your picture taken. 

You must pay an application fee. 

Is my Social Security Card Required to Renew my Driver’s License in Texas? 

Your Social Security number is necessary for a driver’s license and an identification card. If your SSN is not already on your driving record, you will be required to present documentation to prove it. 

The following papers serve as evidence of Social Security Number: 

The Social Security card.

Form W-2. SSA-1099. 

A non-SSA-1099 form. 

Paystub with your name and Social Security number on it. 

Certificate of Release or Active Duty Discharge (DD-214). 

SSN is shown on a certificate of college/university transcript. 

Documents have recognizable SSNs, such as health insurance cards, Veteran’s Administration cards, and pilot’s licenses. 

All preceding papers might be expired or current, but they must have your entire SSN. You must supply original papers that have not been changed. Copies of the documents are not permitted. 

How to Renew a Texas Driver’s License that has Expired? 

If your license has expired, you have another two years to renew it. You are free to choose your preferred mode of renewal. In the interim, you cannot drive with your expired license.  

If you are discovered doing so, the punishment ranges from a fine to real prison time, depending on your driving history. If you do not renew your license within two years of its expiry, you will have to reapply for one and repeat all required examinations. 

How to Renew a Suspended Texas Driver’s License? 

You are prohibited from driving lawfully if your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked. You are also ineligible for renewal until your driving privileges are restored.  

The disciplinary action taken might include paying off any outstanding parking fines, retaking a driver’s test, and so on. If you’re unclear if your license is eligible for renewal, you may use this official government website to find out. 

The service also enables you to pay any fine at the moment, making you eligible for renewal in certain situations right away.

Conclusion

If you’re considering renewing your driver’s license this year, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, ensure you have all the required documents ready. Second, check your driver’s license’s expiration date to ensure it still meets current requirements. And finally, make sure you take the time to review all of the information on your renewal form—including instructions for making an appointment if necessary.— By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to get your driver’s license renewed without any trouble at all!