The DMV makes driver's license renewal convenient by offering renewal
services at DMV service
locations, by mail and online.
If you're temporarily residing more than 200 miles beyond the District
of Columbia border you may qualify for absentee
driver's license renewal of your DC driver's license.
You will receive a renewal notice 60 days in advance of the expiration of your driver’s license. You will receive your renewal notice by e-mail if you have provided DMV with your e-mail address. Click here to provide DMV with your e-mail address online. For last minute online renewals, DMV provides a temporary license certificate that can be used for 45 days until your license is received in the mail.
Non-US Citizens must renew their Driver’s License at our Georgetown service center
If your your non-commercial DC driver's license has been expired for more than 90 days,
you must take and pass the knowledge
test. If your non-commercial DC driver's license has been expired for more
than 180 days, you must take and pass both the knowledge
test and the road test.
You may renew your license upon expiration and may not operate a
vehicle on an expired license.
If driver's license was produced with a digital photograph
and signature (utilized by DMV since August 2000), you may renew
your driver's license online as long as you meet the other online requirements. Otherwise,
you may renew by mail or visit a DMV Service location. If your last renewal was done online, you
must go to DMV location for a new picture (DC law and policy requires a full frontal digital photo that shows either the hairline or the ears) and vision test.
The Patriot Act, Public Law 108-458, National Intelligence Reform
Act of 2004 does NOT allow for social security numbers to be displayed
on driver licenses or identification cards. If your driver's license
number is also your social security number, you will be required
to visit a DMV Service Center for renewal in order to obtain a new
photo and a randomly generated number.
Requirements for Online Renewal
If you are renewing a driver's license online:
Requirements for In-Person Renewal
If you are renewing a driver's license at a DMV service locations,
please bring the following documents with you and be prepared to
pay the applicable fees.
Requirements for Mail Renewal
If you are renewing a driver's license by mail, please send the following documents to the address indicated (license will be mailed to the address of record):
Note: If you are holding a provisional driver's license, please
refer to provisional driver's license renewal.
*If your driver's license has been lost or stolen, you must provide Proof
of Name & Date of Birth and Proof of SSN.

** These documents are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF).
A PDF reader is required for viewing.
Download
a PDF Reader or Learn
More About PDFs