How Early Can You Renew Your Driver’s License in Colorado?

You can renew your Colorado driver’s license as early as you want. The state sets no minimum waiting period and no earliest date, so whether your card expires next week or next year, you can renew today online, by mail, or in person.¹

No Earliest Date to Renew

Colorado allows renewal of an adult driver’s license, permit, or ID card at any time before the expiration date printed on the card.¹ You could technically renew the day after getting a new license. Most people wait until a few weeks or months before expiration, but nothing in the rules requires that.

The practical reason to renew before your card expires is that your options narrow the moment it does. Waiting past the expiration date pushes you out of the online and mail-in channels and, if you wait long enough, out of renewal entirely.

What Happens If You Wait Too Long

If your license has already expired, you still have options, but they get worse the longer you wait.

Expired less than one year: you can renew without retesting, but you’ll have to visit a DMV office in person. Online renewal is not available once a license has been expired over one year.¹

Expired more than one year: you start over. That means passing a written knowledge exam, getting an instruction permit, and passing a driving test before a new license can be issued.

Driving on a license that expired within the past year is a class B traffic infraction in Colorado.² If you’re cited and then renew before your court date, the charge gets dismissed when you show the court a valid license. Still, the ticket and the court date are avoidable by renewing on time.

How to Renew Before Expiration

Online

Online is the fastest option for most people. To qualify, you must be at least 21, have your Social Security number on file with the DMV, have a photo on file less than 10 years old, and hold a license that hasn’t been expired for more than one year.¹ You’ll need your current credential number and issue date, and a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card.

If you’re under 80, the system asks you to certify that you’ve had an eye exam within the past year. If you’re 80 or older, you can still renew online, but you’ll need to upload a completed Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Statement (Form DR 2498) confirming an eye exam within the preceding six months.¹

By Mail

If you’re eligible for online renewal but prefer paper, send a completed application with a check or money order payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue to: Division of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 173345, Denver, CO 80217-3345.¹

In Person

Some situations require an office visit even before your license expires: your vision has changed (for example, you now need corrective lenses but your current license doesn’t reflect that), or an online renewal was rejected. You must schedule an appointment at a state DMV office. Walk-ins are not accepted.¹

During the visit, a technician administers a basic eye exam, takes your fingerprints (required by Colorado law for all applicants), and captures a new photo.¹

If you have your current Colorado license (or one expired less than 10 years) and you aren’t changing your name or other information, the card itself is the only document you need to bring.¹ Your Social Security number and lawful presence information are already on file.

Check Your REAL ID Status Before You Renew

Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts state-issued IDs that are not REAL ID compliant at airport security checkpoints.³ Colorado has been issuing REAL ID compliant licenses since 2013, so most residents already hold one. Check the front of your card: a black star (newer design) or gold star (pre-2020 design) means your license is REAL ID compliant, and you don’t need to do anything extra at renewal.⁴

If your card has a black banner reading “NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION,” it’s a Standard credential issued under the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act and cannot be used for boarding flights or entering federal buildings. Renewing that same credential type will produce another non-compliant card.

Fees and What Arrives After

A Standard license costs $34.⁵ Fees for REAL ID compliant licenses may differ; check the DMV’s fee schedule at dmv.colorado.gov for the current amount for your credential type.

Your new card arrives by mail, typically within 10 to 14 business days, though it can take up to 30 days. For an online or mail renewal, your printed receipt along with your old or expired license serves as your temporary credential. For an in-person renewal, you receive a paper temporary license at the office.¹

One thing to know if you’re renewing close to a flight: TSA does not accept a temporary paper driver’s license at security checkpoints. TSA does accept an expired license for up to two years past its expiration date, so keeping your old card until the new one arrives can get you through security in the meantime. A passport also works.⁶

1
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
2
FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-2-101 – Licenses Required
3
Transportation Security Administration. TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement on May 7
4
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
5
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
6
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint