You have 60 days after moving to update the address on your Georgia driver’s license, and the first change of address on a Georgia driver’s license during your license term is free.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms Whether you can handle it from your couch or need to visit a Customer Service Center depends on whether your current license is REAL ID-compliant, which you can tell by looking for a gold or black star in the upper right corner of the card.
Three Ways to File the Change
The Department of Driver Services gives you three options.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License
- Online, through a DDS Online Account with secure video verification. Available around the clock and the fastest route, but only if you already hold a REAL ID-compliant license or ID.
- By phone, after creating a DDS Online Account, by calling the DDS Contact Center at (678) 413-8858 to complete video verification. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- In person at any DDS Customer Service Center, with your proof-of-address document. Be ready to have a new photo taken.
After DDS processes the change, allow up to 30 days for the new card to arrive in the mail.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License
What You Need to Bring or Upload
If your current license or ID already has the gold or black star, you only need one document showing your name and new residential address.3Georgia Department of Driver Services. Address Change FAQs If your card is not REAL ID-compliant, you need the full set of REAL ID documents, which includes two proofs of residency.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License
Documents DDS accepts as proof of residency include:
- Utility bills for water, gas, electricity, phone, cable, or internet service at your residence.
- Bank, credit union, investment account, or credit card statements.
- A deed, mortgage statement, or residential lease.
Every document must be dated within the past six months and must show your name and current residential address.4Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia REAL ID Information A P.O. box is not accepted.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. REAL ID Documents for US Citizens Redact any account numbers on financial statements or utility bills before you submit them.
Fees
Your first address change during a license term costs nothing. Georgia licenses are valid for eight years, so most people only need one update between renewals. If you move a second time within the same license term, DDS may require you to pay the full renewal fee of $32.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms
What Happens If You Miss the 60-Day Deadline
Georgia law requires you to apply for a license with your correct address within 60 days of moving.6Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-33 – Change of Address or Name The same statute says failing to update your address does not invalidate your license. You can still legally drive on a license bearing your old address, and DDS will not suspend your driving privileges over it.
The practical downsides are about inconvenience. Official mail from the state, including notices about registration, insurance, or jury duty, may not reach you. An officer at a traffic stop who notices the mismatch can ask more questions and stretch out the encounter. Updating on time avoids both.
Special Situations
Commercial Driver’s License Holders
If you hold a CDL, you cannot use the online or phone option. Federal law requires all CDL transactions to happen in person at a DDS Customer Service Center.3Georgia Department of Driver Services. Address Change FAQs The same 60-day window applies. Bring your proof-of-address document.
Drivers Under 18
Learner’s permits and provisional licenses also have to be updated after a move.7Georgia.gov. Change Address on an Existing Georgia Driver’s License The online option is limited to people 18 and older, so a minor has to visit a Customer Service Center in person.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License A parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult generally has to sign for minors at DDS, so bring that person to avoid making the trip twice.8Georgia Department of Driver Services. License FAQs
Active-Duty Military Stationed Out of State
Active-duty service members get a six-month grace period for driving on an expired Georgia license after being discharged or reassigned back to the state, and cannot be cited for driving on an expired license during that window if they present a copy of official military orders or written verification from a commanding officer. Service members, along with their licensed spouses and dependents living out of state, can also renew a Georgia license by mail.9Georgia Department of Driver Services. Military, Veterans, and National Guard
Don’t Forget Your Vehicle Registration
Changing your license address does not update your vehicle registration. You need to handle that separately through the Georgia Department of Revenue’s DRIVES e-Services portal or at your county tag office.10Department of Revenue. Change Address on Registration An outdated registration address can send renewal notices and annual ad valorem tax bills to the wrong place.
Your Voter Registration Usually Updates With It
Under the National Voter Registration Act, a change-of-address form submitted for a state driver’s license also serves as a change of address for voter registration in federal elections unless you indicate otherwise.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 52 USC Ch. 205 – National Voter Registration Georgia uses an opt-out system, so your voter registration address updates when your DDS address does, unless you affirmatively decline. If you moved to a different county, confirm with the new county’s board of elections that your registration transferred, especially with an election approaching.