How to Renew Your California ID: Online, by Mail, or in Person

To renew your California ID, you have three options: online through the DMV website, by mail, or in person at a DMV field office. The renewal fee is $40, and the method available to you depends on when your card expires, whether any information on the card is changing, and whether you’re upgrading to a REAL ID.¹²

Which Renewal Method You Can Use

Not every cardholder qualifies for every method. Check the online rules first, since online is the fastest path when it’s open to you.

Online

You can renew online if all three apply:²

Your card is within 90 days before or 12 months after its expiration date.
You do not need to change your address, name, or physical description.
You are not applying for a REAL ID for the first time.

If you need an address change, handle that through the DMV separately at least three days before starting the renewal application.³

By Mail

Mail renewal is available only if you can answer “no” to all three of these:²

Were your last two ID cards renewed by mail or online?
Has your ID been expired for more than one year?
Are you changing or correcting your name?

The consecutive-renewal rule is the one that catches people. Two remote renewals in a row means the next one has to be in person, even if nothing else disqualifies you.

In Person

You have to visit a DMV office if any of these are true:

You need to change your name, gender, or other personal details.
Your ID has been expired for more than one year.
You’re getting a REAL ID for the first time.
You’re applying for a senior, reduced-fee, or no-fee card.
Your last two renewals were done by mail or online.

Decide Whether to Upgrade to a REAL ID

REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025. Federal agencies now require a REAL ID-compliant card, a passport, or another federally accepted ID to board domestic flights or enter certain federal facilities.⁴ A REAL ID card shows a gold bear and star in the upper-right corner; a standard California ID does not.

If you don’t fly and don’t need federal-building access, a standard renewal is fine. If you do, and you don’t have a passport to fall back on, use this renewal to upgrade. Renewing an existing REAL ID online is allowed; getting one for the first time is not, and requires an in-person visit with extra documents.²

What to Bring

Standard Renewal

Bring your current California ID card and be ready to provide your Social Security number.⁵ If nothing is changing on the card and you already have (or don’t want) a REAL ID, that’s the paperwork.

First-Time REAL ID Upgrade

An upgrade adds three document categories on top of the standard renewal:⁶

Proof of identity: an original or certified copy of a U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, or unexpired permanent resident card. Photocopies aren’t accepted.
Proof of your Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a paystub showing the full number.
Two different proofs of California residency, such as a utility bill (cell phone counts), bank statement, rental or lease agreement, mortgage bill, vehicle registration, or an IRS or California Franchise Tax Board tax return.

Both residency documents have to show your name and the same mailing address you’ll put on the application. Get them together before you book the appointment, because a missing document means a second trip.

Renewing Online

Start at the DMV’s online portal. You’ll log into your DMV account or create one, and the system uses two-factor authentication, so keep your email and phone within reach for the verification code.⁷

Select the renewal option, confirm your information, and pay the $40 fee by credit card or bank account.¹ If you can’t finish in one sitting, the application saves for up to a year. Log back in later to pick up where you stopped.⁷

Renewing by Mail

Complete the California Identification Card Renewal by Mail Eligibility form (DL 410 ID) and send it with payment to:²

DMV, Attn: Renewal by Mail Unit
PO Box 942890
Sacramento, CA 94290-0001

Pay by check or money order made out to DMV.⁸ Write your ID card number on the back of the check so the DMV can match the payment to your file. Credit cards aren’t accepted for mail renewals.

Renewing in Person

Book an appointment through the DMV website before you go. Walk-ins are accepted, but appointments move faster. Take your current ID card, any renewal notice the DMV mailed you, and, if you’re upgrading to REAL ID, the identity, Social Security, and residency documents listed above.

At the counter you’ll fill out a DL or ID card application, have your thumbprint scanned, and have a new photo taken.² ID card renewals don’t require a vision exam. You’ll pay the $40 fee, or nothing if you qualify for a senior or no-fee card.¹ Before you leave, the DMV issues a temporary paper ID valid for 60 days while your permanent card is printed and mailed.

Senior, Reduced-Fee, and No-Fee Cards

California waives or reduces the $40 fee in three situations. All three require an in-person visit, even if you’d otherwise qualify for online renewal.

Senior ID Card

If you’re 62 or older, the senior citizen ID card is free.⁵ No income paperwork is required beyond the standard renewal documents. Your date of birth on file handles the eligibility check.

Reduced-Fee ID Card

Low-income Californians eligible for county public assistance can get a reduced-fee card. A participating government agency or nonprofit verifies your enrollment in a program like CalWORKs, CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income, or county general assistance and gives you documentation to take to the DMV.⁹

No-Fee ID for People Experiencing Homelessness

If you meet the definition of homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the card is free.⁵ A government agency or nonprofit verifies your housing status and issues a No Fee Identification Card Eligibility Verification form (DL 933), which you submit to the DMV within 90 days of the date it was issued.⁹ The DL 933 can also count as one of the two residency proofs if you’re applying for a REAL ID at the same visit.

Voter Registration and Organ Donation

Your renewal doubles as a voter transaction. Under California’s Motor Voter program, if you’re a U.S. citizen, 18 or older, and a California resident, you’ll be automatically registered to vote when you complete the renewal (online, by mail, or in person) unless you opt out. If you’re already registered, the DMV updates your information.¹⁰ Holders of AB 60 driver’s licenses aren’t eligible for this program.

The application also asks whether you want to join the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. If you enroll, the word “DONOR” is printed on the face of your new card.¹¹

When Your New Card Arrives

Expect the new card by mail in about three to four weeks.⁵ If you renewed in person, use the 60-day temporary ID until then.² Online renewals don’t come with a temporary card, so keep using your existing card, assuming it hasn’t yet expired, until the new one shows up.

If nothing has arrived after 60 days, check the Driver’s License and ID Card Status page on the DMV website. You’ll need your ID card number and a MyDMV account to log in.¹²

1
State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Licensing Fees
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State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License or ID Card Renewal
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State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License and ID Online Renewal
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. ID Cards
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California DMV. DL 1010 E, REAL ID Document List
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State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Apply Online for a Driver License or ID Card
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California DMV. DL 410 FO, California Driver License Renewal by Mail Eligibility Information
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State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Reduced/No Fee ID Card Program Information for Organizations
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California Secretary of State. California Motor Voter
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California Legislative Information. AB-1374 Drivers Licenses: Organ Donation
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California DMV. Driver’s License and ID Card Status