Renewing Your License

You can't avoid it. Sooner or later, you'll have to make a trip to your local county driver's license office to renew your driver's license. It may not be this time around, but eventually (every eight years to be exact), you'll be required by the state to come face to face with an Idaho Transportation Department examiner.

Those of you who are old enough to drink legally (at least 21 years old, in case it slipped your mind), can renew your licenses at the said office up to 364 days before the expiration day. Renewals last either four or eight years depending on how you go about updating your license. All driver's license and ID card fees and renewal and replacement fees are set accordingly.

Idaho drivers between the ages of 21 and 62 can opt for the eight-year renewal, just be prepared to have your vision checked by an examiner. He or she can also decide whether you need to take a skills test or a medical examination.

Don't let your license expire for a year or more if you wish to avoid taking the written test and the skills test all over again. The same goes for those who hold commercial driver's licenses (CDLs), and still want to retain privileges as commercial drivers. After one year, the state requires you to retake the written knowledge test associated with obtaining a Class D license, all written tests required to earn a CDL, and a skills test in the vehicle that closely resembles the class of vehicle for which you are hoping to get a CDL.

Young Drivers

Knowing when to renew your license can be tricky if you are younger than 21. As of January 1, 2001, you cannot renew your license or ID card before you turn 18 or before you turn 21, whichever applies. Those of you who are between the ages of 18 and 20 will notice your license or ID card states "Under 21 until month/day/year." Take note that it will expire five days after your 21st birthday.

Those of you who are between 15 and 17 will notice the words "Under 18 until month/day/year," and can expect your license or ID card to expire five days following your 18th birthday.

The Snail Mail Option

Any time you want to renew your license in person, have at it. The state never requires you to renew by mail. Just know that you have the option to skip a trip to the DMV every other renewal period, thanks to good ol' snail mail; all you have to do is renew in person every eight years. It will cost you a buck extra (sheriff's administrative fee), but of course it's money well spent.

Holders of Class D Idaho driver's licenses who are between the ages of 21 and 69 may be able to renew from home. How will you know if you are among the lucky few? The DMV will mail you a renewal application if you are eligible to renew by mail, 60 days before your license officially expires. So make sure you keep your address current with the department.

Renewal by mail is not an option if you previously went with the eight-year option or if your current license has been extended.

After you have mailed in your renewal application, DMV will look it over. After they accept and approve your application, they will mail you a sticker to be placed on the back of your current driver's license. This signifies that your driver's license is now valid for at least a few more birthdays.

If you have a newer license, the digital kind with a barcode on the back, you can forget about the sticker. The DMV will just send you a shiny new card with your same photo that is displayed on your expired license. As soon as you receive this new license in the mail, cut up the old one; it's no longer valid.

Another note: Any changes you'd like to make to the front side of your license cannot be made with the mail-in renewal application. Unfortunately, you'll need to stop by your local county driver's license office in person.

Online Renewal

The day when you can renew your license online has not yet arrived. However, the DMV is currently working on putting that in place. Stay tuned!