What 50+ Adults Need to Know About Renewing a Drivers License

By Ken Budd, AARP May 2025

From Real ID requirements to specific tests older drivers might need to take, here is essential information for renewing your license.

If renewing your driver’s license seems like a ho-hum, routine chore, be prepared: It might be different this time. In many states, older drivers are required to go through more stringent procedures and testing than their younger highway counterparts. This can include proving you have road-worthy vision or making an in-person visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Also, as of May 7, 2025, you are required to have a Real ID, a new, enhanced driver’s license if you want to take domestic flights without your passport.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know when renewing your driver’s license as an older adult.

What you need to get a Real ID

Just like a normal driver’s license, you can get a Real ID from your state DMV. To obtain it, you’ll need to show documents proving your age and identity, Social Security number, and address. That typically means bringing a birth certificate or passport, a Social Security card or tax form such as a W-2, and two proofs of address. If you’ve married and changed your name, you’ll need to show a marriage certificate.

Most states mark Real ID cards with a gold or black star in the top right corner. The IDs also include an encoded “machine readable zone” with a person’s scannable information.

Do you really need a Real ID?

You’ll need a REAL ID not only to access domestic flights but to enter certain federal facilities, such as military bases. If you show up for a domestic flight with just your regular old driver’s license, you will not be allowed past security.

There are, however, alternatives you can use, including passports, passport cards, U.S. military IDs, an ID from the federal Trusted Traveler Program (such as a Global Entry card) and Real ID-compliant mobile driver’s licenses (a digital version of a driver’s license that is usually stored in a smartphone’s digital wallet). Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDL) are also acceptable alternatives. An EDL is a driver’s license that provides proof of U.S. citizenship. Five states offer EDLs: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington.

Older adults often have added requirements

Special renewal requirements for older adults may seem like age bias, but there is a reason. Loosening the time between in-person renewal requirements was linked to increased crash rates among drivers aged 65-74 and higher injury rates for drivers aged 75-plus, a study published in January 2025 in the journal Injury Epidemiology found.

Renewal requirements for older drivers can vary from state to state. Some states, for example, require older drivers to renew their licenses more frequently than younger drivers. The Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) maintains a list of requirements for every state on its website.

You might need to renew sooner. In Arizona, for example, drivers age 60 and over need to renew their license every five years, compared to every 12 years for the rest of the state’s drivers. In Hawaii, drivers over 72 must renew every two years; the general population does it every eight years.

In-person might be mandatory. Many states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, and Massachusetts, also require drivers age 70-plus to renew their licenses in person (in Maine, that requirement starts at 62; in Kansas, it’s 65).

Most states require proof of adequate vision. Iowa drivers aged 70+ must demonstrate acceptable eyesight every time they renew their license. Younger drivers only do it when they renew in person. In Maryland, proof is required starting at age 40.

A road test may be part of the process. One state, Illinois, requires drivers to take a road test at age 75-plus.  “The driving test was associated with lower insurance claim frequencies, especially in densely populated areas of Illinois,” says Jessica Cicchino, vice president of research for IIHS.

Increasing your renewal odds

There are ways to give yourself a leg up when you're trying to get your driver's license renewed.

Study your state’s driver handbook. Each state offers a driver’s handbook that includes safety information and updates on new laws. “You might need a lot of caffeine to read it,” jokes William Van Tassel, manager of driver training programs for the American Automobile Association (AAA), “but it’s a great way to stay current.”

Freshen up your skills (and maybe even save money). If you want to improve your odds of renewing your license — not to mention protecting yourself, your passengers, and other drivers — it helps to refresh and maybe even improve your driving skills. Here are some ways you can become a better driver and meet the renewal requirements.

Take a driving class (it might even save you money). AARP’s Smart Driver course is available online and in a classroom setting. The class covers everything from understanding new car technologies to handling left turns and maintaining proper distances behind cars (with age, we become less effective at estimating the size of the gap between vehicles). AAA offers RoadWise Driver, a defensive driving course for people age 55 and over, and many states, such as California and Virginia, offer courses as well. Need incentive? States often allow or even require insurance companies to give an auto insurance discount to people aged 55-plus who take driver safety courses.

Talk to your doctor about medications and driving. A key topic discussed in driving courses: medications. In the AAA Foundation’s "Long Road" study, one in five drivers aged 65-plus took medications that could impair their driving abilities. Fifty percent of participants were taking seven or more medications.

“Some older drivers think, 'Oh, if a medication is prescribed, or if it’s over the counter, I can legally drive after taking it,'” Van Tassell says. Guess again. If you’re swerving or you get in an accident, “The law doesn’t care where it came from or how you got the drug,” he says. Older people are also twice as likely to experience side effects — including dizziness and blurred vision — compared to younger people, he adds.

Hire a pro. If you want in-the-vehicle, behind-the-wheel guidance, book time with an instructor from a driving school. Yes, you’ve got enough experience to be a teacher, not a student. But an instructor can help identify bad habits and address nagging concerns you may not even realize“It’s not a bad idea,” Van Tassel says, “to get some objective feedback.”

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