These days, the only way to get into one of our driver licensing offices is with an appointment. But with social distancing and other safety measures limiting our capacity, they fill up fast! If you need to visit one of our offices, try something different: online services.
To make sure those with urgent needs can get an appointment, we’re asking everyone else to go online. Or even hold off or find another way until the health emergency is over.
REAL ID is a great example. Enforcement of the new federal law related to air travel ID won’t happen until Oct. 1, 2021, a year later than planned. Suppose you planned to get an enhanced driver license (EDL) or enhanced ID (EID) so you can fly when it goes into effect. You’ll need an in-person office visit to get either. But you have many other options, some of which may be easier to get right now than an EDL or EID. You might even already have what you’ll need.
Although you may not be able to upgrade your standard license or ID for a while, you don’t have to worry about paying more when you do. If you renew online now and upgrade later, you’ll pay only the difference in cost. That’s only $4 a year for the rest of your renewal cycle.
You may have also heard about recent extensions. If your driver license or instruction permit expired March 1 through June 30, 2020, we extended it 180 days. If it expired July 1 through Sept. 30, 2020, we extended it 90 days. But there’s no need to wait to renew. You can renew now.
Of course, renewals aren’t the only service available online. Dozens of others are available wherever you are, as long as you have internet access.
So remember: try online before trying to make an appointment!