Absentee Driver License Renewal

If you're temporarily residing more than 200 miles beyond the District of Columbia border, you may qualify for absentee renewal of your DC driver license. This absentee renewal driver license will be valid for up to eight years. You may not request consecutive absentee driver license renewals.

Upon return to the District of Columbia, you must visit a service location to update your permanent address information within 72 hours of returning to the District of Columbia. To administer an absentee driver license renewal, mail the following to the DMV:

• Completed Driver License/Voter Registration Application [PDF]
• Current DC driver License
  (If your driver license has been lost or stolen, you must provide Proof of Name & Date of Birth and Proof of SSN. )
• Proof of Current Out of State Residency (see proof of DC residency, for the type of applicable documents) . 
• Applicable Fees.

You may mail your request to

DMV
P.O. Box 90120,
Washington, DC 20024-0120

If your DC driver license has been expired for more than 90 days, you must take and pass the knowledge test. If your DC driver license has been expired for more than 160 days, you must take and pass both the knowledge test and the road test. Please be mindful that it is unlawful to drive on an expired license.