How to Renew an Expired Texas License: Fees, Deadlines, and REAL ID

To renew an expired Texas driver’s license, the first thing to check is how long it has been expired. If the lapse is under two years, you can renew through the normal process — online if you qualify, otherwise in person at a Department of Public Safety office — for a $33 fee and no testing. Once your license has been expired for two years or more, Texas will not renew it at all, and you must apply as a new driver and pass both the written and road tests.¹²

The Two-Year Cutoff

Everything about your renewal turns on this window. A standard Texas license is valid for eight years and expires on your first birthday after the eighth anniversary of issuance, so the calendar date is tied to your birthday rather than the day you got the card.³ Miss that birthday by a week or a year, and as long as you’re still inside the two-year window, the renewal path is the same as if you’d shown up early. Cross the two-year mark and DPS treats you as an original applicant.²

Driving on the expired card in the meantime is illegal regardless of how recent the expiration is, so plan to renew before you get back behind the wheel.

Renewing Online

Online renewal is the fastest option, and most drivers who let their license lapse for a few months still qualify. You can use it if all of the following are true:¹

Your last renewal was in person (you can’t renew online twice in a row).
You hold a Class C, M, or CM license, not a commercial license with a hazardous materials endorsement.
Your license has been expired for less than two years, or expires within the next two.
You’re under 79.
Your vision and physical or mental health haven’t significantly changed since your last renewal.
Your license is not suspended, revoked, or canceled, and you have no outstanding warrants or tickets.
You’re a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number already on file with DPS.

The two most common reasons people get pushed to an in-person visit are having renewed online the last time and being 79 or older. If you clear all seven conditions, the online system handles the renewal in a single session and mails your new card.

Renewing in Person

If you don’t qualify online, schedule an appointment through the DPS website before going to an office. Walk-ins face long waits, and some offices won’t take them at all.

Bring documents in three categories. For identity, an original document proving U.S. citizenship or lawful presence — a birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or certificate of citizenship. For Social Security verification, your Social Security card, a W-2, or another document showing the number.⁴ For Texas residency, two documents showing your name and current residential address, with at least one demonstrating you’ve lived in Texas for at least 30 days; a current mortgage statement, residential lease, utility bill dated within 180 days, or auto insurance policy all qualify.⁵

You’ll also complete Form DL-14A, the adult driver license application, available on the DPS website. It covers personal details, driving history, and citizenship. One section on health conditions that might affect communication with an officer is voluntary.⁴

At the office, a clerk verifies your documents. You’ll then have a new photo taken, give a thumbprint, and pass a vision screening.¹ The vision test is where renewals sometimes stall, so bring your corrective lenses if you use them. Failing means you can’t finish the renewal that day.

Fees and the Temporary Permit

The renewal fee for most adults (ages 18 to 84) is $33, and the new license is valid for eight years from the previous expiration date.⁶ DPS offices accept major credit cards, personal checks, and money orders.

You’ll leave with a paper temporary permit that acts as your legal license for up to 60 days while the permanent card is manufactured and mailed.⁷ The permanent card typically arrives in two to three weeks. If it hasn’t come after 30 days, the DPS online mailing status tool will show whether it’s been printed or shipped.

One catch: TSA does not accept the paper temporary permit as valid ID at airport checkpoints.⁸ If you have a flight before the permanent card arrives, bring your passport or another federally accepted ID.

Seniors and Military: Rules That Differ

Drivers 79 and older must renew in person; online renewal isn’t available regardless of renewal history. Starting at age 85, licenses are valid for only two years instead of eight.⁹

Active-duty service members stationed outside Texas, along with their spouses and dependent children, can renew electronically no matter how long the license has been expired, so long as the service member is absent from the state.¹⁰ The standard expiration date is also extended for military members during active service.³ This is one of the few situations where the two-year cutoff doesn’t apply.

If You’ve Been Driving on the Expired License

Driving with an expired license is a misdemeanor in Texas. A first offense carries a fine of up to $200. A second conviction within a year sets a minimum $25 fine with the same $200 ceiling. A third or later conviction within a year of the second brings a fine of up to $500 and possible county jail time of 72 hours to six months.¹¹

There is a useful defense. If you’re cited and then renew before your court date, showing up with a valid license can get the charge dismissed, though the court can still charge an administrative fee of up to $10.¹¹ The defense applies only when the license was expired, not suspended or revoked; those are separate offenses with harsher penalties.

Insurance is the quieter risk. Many auto policies require the driver to hold a valid license, and insurers can treat an expired license as a breach of that condition. If you’re in an accident during the lapse, your carrier may deny the claim, and the other driver’s insurer may push back on paying yours. Read your policy before assuming you’re covered.

REAL ID at Renewal

As of May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID-compliant document to clear TSA for domestic flights or enter certain federal buildings.¹² Texas has been issuing compliant licenses since 2016; the giveaway is a gold star in the upper-right corner of the card.¹³

If your expired card doesn’t have the star, use this renewal to upgrade. The identity and residency documents are the same ones already listed above, and there’s no added cost beyond the standard renewal fee. Without a REAL ID, you can still fly domestically using a U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, or other federally accepted alternative.⁸

1
Department of Public Safety. Renew Your Texas DL, CDL, Motorcycle License or ID
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Department of Public Safety. Frequently Asked Questions
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State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.271 – License Expiration
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Texas Public Law. Texas Transportation Code 521.142 – Application for Original License
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Department of Public Safety. Texas Residency Requirement for Driver Licenses and ID Cards
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Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees
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Department of Public Safety. Section 3 – Issuing a Temporary Permit
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Department of Public Safety. Senior Drivers – Age 65 or Older
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State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.274 – Renewal of License Issued to Certain Military Personnel
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State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.025
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Department of Public Safety. Federal Real ID Act