How to Renew Your Colorado Driver’s License Online

If you’re at least 21, hold a Colorado license that expired less than a year ago, and haven’t had a name change, vision change, or DUI in the last five years, you can renew your Colorado driver’s license online through the state’s myDMV portal in about ten minutes. The fee is $32 for a REAL ID renewal or $34 for a standard license, and your new card is valid for five years.¹

Whether You Qualify

There is no upper age limit. Anyone 21 or older can renew online if they meet the rest of the conditions, and drivers 80 and up are included with one extra step covered below.² Drivers under 21 must renew in person.³

To use the online option, all of the following must be true:

Your DMV photo on file is less than 10 years old.
Your current license expired less than one year ago (or hasn’t expired yet).
Your legal name hasn’t changed since your last renewal.
Your vision hasn’t gotten worse since your last renewal.
You have no medical restrictions that require DMV review.
You have no DUI convictions in the past five years.
You have no pending restriction actions or point-suspension testing on your record.
You don’t currently hold a separate valid Colorado state ID card.

The system checks eligibility before you fill anything out, so if one of these blocks you, you’ll know quickly.

Decide the REAL ID Question First

Since May 7, 2025, TSA has required a REAL ID-compliant license (or another acceptable federal ID) to board domestic flights.⁴ This is the one choice that determines whether you can renew online at all.

If your current license is already REAL ID compliant, you can renew it online and the new card will stay compliant. If you’ve never had a REAL ID, you cannot get one online — first-time REAL ID applicants must appear in person with original or certified documents proving identity, lawful status, Social Security number, and two proofs of Colorado residency.⁵²

A standard, non-compliant license is still fine for driving. But if you might fly domestically, renewing without REAL ID means bringing a passport to the airport or paying a $45 TSA identity-verification fee starting February 1, 2026.⁶ The renewal fee actually favors REAL ID: $32 versus $34 for a standard license.¹

What to Have Ready

Gather these before you log in:

Your current license, including the credential number and issue date.²
Vision information. If you’re under 80, the system just asks you to certify that you’ve had an eye exam within the past year. If you’re 80 or older, you’ll upload a completed Eye Examination Report (Form DR 2498) signed by your optometrist or ophthalmologist within the last six months.⁷
A Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card for the fee.²

The Steps Through myDMV

Go to mydmv.colorado.gov and log in or create an account.⁸ Select driver’s license renewal. The portal runs its eligibility check, then walks you through confirming your license details, your vision status, and your address. Look closely at the address, because that’s where your new card gets mailed. Pay the fee and submit. Your renewed license is valid for five years from the renewal date.

After You Submit

You’ll get a confirmation receipt on screen. Cards usually arrive by mail in 8 to 10 days, and delivery can take up to 30 days.⁹

In the meantime, your receipt plus your expired card acts as a temporary credential. You can also add your license to your phone’s wallet app, which TSA accepts at airport screening. The MyColorado digital ID works for most in-state uses but is not accepted at TSA checkpoints. If you need a physical paper temporary, you can schedule a DMV appointment to get one.¹⁰

If You’re 80 or Older

You can still renew online, but the vision certification is stricter. You’ll upload Form DR 2498, completed by your eye doctor based on an exam within the past six months. The DMV reviews and approves these applications before finalizing them, so expect a slightly longer processing window than a standard online renewal.⁷

When Online Won’t Work

If any of the eligibility conditions rule you out, or you’re getting a REAL ID for the first time, plan on visiting a state DMV office. Colorado DMV offices operate primarily by appointment; walk-ins are handled first-come, first-served only as schedules allow, and the DMV recommends not counting on walk-in availability.³ In-person renewals include a basic vision test at the counter, so a separate eye exam form isn’t needed unless you’re 80 or older.

Renewal by mail is available under the same eligibility rules as online, except that customers who are not lawfully present or only temporarily lawfully present cannot use the mail option.² It’s most useful for residents temporarily out of state who can’t use the online portal.

Commercial driver’s licenses cannot be renewed online. CDL holders have federal requirements including a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate that must be on file with the Colorado DMV before it expires; a lapsed certificate downgrades commercial driving privileges even if the underlying license is still valid.¹¹ CDL renewals are handled at a DMV office.

If Your License Has Already Expired

You can renew any time before expiration, so there’s no reason to wait.² Once the date passes, two things happen. Driving on an expired license is a traffic infraction under CRS 42-2-101. And once your license has been expired more than a year, the online option closes: you’ll have to go in person, and the state may treat it as a new application rather than a renewal, which can mean additional testing and documentation.

1
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Welcome to the Appointment Scheduling Information Page
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Mature Drivers
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Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles. CO myDMV
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. FAQ – Driver License
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Temporary Driver License and Identification
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical