Yes. Colorado issues a paper temporary driver’s license at the DMV office whenever you apply for a new license, renew, or replace a lost or stolen one, and it covers you on the road until your permanent card arrives by mail in roughly 10 to 14 business days. The paper document is your legal proof of driving privileges during that gap, but it has real limits — most importantly at the airport — and it isn’t the same thing as the short-term permit police hand out after a DUI stop.
When the DMV Issues One
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles prints a paper temporary credential during several routine in-office transactions. First-time applicants, drivers transferring an out-of-state license, and anyone renewing an expiring card all walk out with one. The same goes for replacements: when you report a license lost, stolen, or destroyed, the technician verifies your identity, cancels your previous credential in the system, and prints the temporary on the spot.1Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Replace Your Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Driver License/Permit/CDL/ID
Online renewal works a little differently. You don’t get a stand-alone paper temporary. Instead, your printed renewal receipt paired with your old or expired card serves together as your temporary credential until the new one arrives. DMV staff review online renewals before approval, so it isn’t instantaneous; if something needs follow-up, you’ll receive an email.2Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
How Long It Lasts
The standard paper temporary credential is valid for 30 days. Your permanent card typically arrives within 10 to 14 business days, though delivery can take up to 30 business days in some cases.3Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Identification Cards You can track it at myDMV.Colorado.gov under “Where’s my Driver License/ID?”4Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. The Iconic Credential
Keep the paper temporary with you while you drive. If you renewed online, keep both the printed receipt and your old card together, because neither works as proof of driving privileges without the other.
What a Temporary License Will Not Do at the Airport
This is where Colorado’s temporary credential causes the most trouble. The TSA does not accept a paper temporary driver’s license as valid identification at airport security checkpoints.5Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint Colorado’s own temporary states on its face that it is not a REAL ID proof of identity document, and that your expired license is required alongside the receipt for airline travel.6Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
If you renewed online and your old card was REAL ID compliant (marked with a black or gold star), carrying the printed receipt together with that old card may get you through security. If your old card isn’t REAL ID compliant, or you lost it and received a replacement temporary, you’ll need something else, typically a valid U.S. passport.
As of February 2026, the TSA offers a fallback called TSA ConfirmID. Travelers without a REAL ID or other acceptable identification can pay a $45 fee online at TSA.gov/ConfirmID before their trip, which covers a 10-day travel period. At the airport, you present your payment receipt with a government-issued ID and complete additional verification.7Transportation Security Administration. TSA Successfully Rolls Out TSA ConfirmID It works in a pinch, but a passport or a renewal timed to avoid the gap is the cleaner plan.
If the Temporary Expires Before Your Card Arrives
Mail delays happen. If your 30-day temporary runs out and your permanent card still hasn’t shown up, you can visit a driver’s license office without an appointment as long as you’re within 90 days of the temporary’s issuance date.1Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Replace Your Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Driver License/Permit/CDL/ID Walk-ins are otherwise limited in Colorado, so this is one of the few routes that doesn’t require booking ahead.
The DUI Temporary Permit Is a Different Document
Colorado also issues a temporary driving permit in a situation that has nothing to do with ordinary renewals: an alcohol-related traffic stop. Under the state’s Express Consent law, if an officer has probable cause to believe you’re impaired, they can confiscate your physical license and serve you a Notice of Revocation. That notice doubles as a temporary driving permit for seven days.8Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Alcohol DUI
The revocation takes effect seven days after you receive the notice. Within that seven-day window, you can request a hearing in writing at any driver’s license office. Miss the deadline and the right to a hearing is waived; the revocation becomes final.9Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-126 – Revocation of License Based on Administrative Determination
If you request a hearing within those seven days and your license has been surrendered, the DMV stays the revocation and issues a temporary permit valid until your hearing date. The department can extend that permit if the hearing is delayed for reasons beyond your control. If you or your attorney cause the delay, the stay lifts and the revocation takes effect during the delay period.9Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-126 – Revocation of License Based on Administrative Determination If you had a valid license but didn’t surrender it at the stop, you must surrender it at the driver’s license office to receive the temporary permit.8Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Alcohol DUI
The MyColorado Digital ID
Colorado offers a digital version of your license through the MyColorado app on Apple and Android devices. The Digital ID is a secure electronic copy that works for proof of identification, age, and address within Colorado, and it functions without cell service or Wi-Fi once set up.10myColorado. Colorado Digital ID
Two limits matter if you’re thinking of it as a substitute for the paper temporary. The Digital ID is authorized only for in-state use. It isn’t valid at TSA checkpoints, and not every law enforcement agency or business accepts it. Colorado recommends continuing to carry your physical credential, especially for air travel and for agencies that haven’t adopted the Digital ID.10myColorado. Colorado Digital ID For a driver waiting on a permanent card, the Digital ID can supplement the paper temporary but doesn’t replace it.