How to Renew Your Driver’s License in Fort Collins, CO

To renew your driver’s license in Fort Collins, CO, you have three options: online through the myDMV portal, by mail to the Colorado Department of Revenue in Denver, or in person at the state driver license office at 3030 S. College Ave. A standard renewal costs $34, and the new card typically arrives in the mail within 8 to 10 days.¹ Colorado licenses are valid for three years, so you’ll go through this more often than you might expect.²

The Three Ways to Renew

Online is the fastest route. You sign in to the myDMV portal, certify your vision, and pay by credit card or electronic check. No office visit, no paperwork in the mail.³

By mail, you complete Form DR 2746 (or Form DR 2330 if you’re 80 or older) and send it with a check or money order payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue to PO Box 173345, Denver, CO 80217-3345. Write your nine-digit license number on your payment, and don’t send cash. Allow about four weeks for processing.³

In person, you visit the Fort Collins driver license office with your documents. Staff take a new photo, process the application, and hand you a temporary paper permit on the spot while the printed card is mailed from the state’s central production facility.

If you need a name change or a new photo, you have to go in person regardless of whether you’d otherwise qualify for remote renewal.³

Who Can Renew Online or by Mail

Not everyone can skip the office visit. Under C.R.S. § 42-2-118, remote renewal is limited to drivers at least 21 years old.⁴ On top of that age floor, the DMV requires all of the following:

A current photo on file, less than 10 years old (a REAL ID Act requirement).
A license that hasn’t been expired more than one year.
No active restrictions, suspensions, or point suspensions requiring written tests.
No DUI convictions in the past five years.
No changes to your name or vision.

Drivers under 21 must renew in person. Colorado minor licenses expire 20 days after your 21st birthday, and the transition to an adult license requires an office visit.³

Every remote renewal also requires a vision attestation. If you’re under 80, you certify under penalty of perjury that you’ve had an eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist within the past year. Anyone who wears corrective lenses attests to the current prescription.⁴

Drivers 80 and Older

Drivers 80 and older can still renew online, contrary to a common assumption. The extra step is uploading a completed Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Statement (Form DR 2498) confirming an eye exam in the preceding six months. The DMV reviews these applications before processing, so expect a slight delay. If you renew by mail instead, the same six-month eye exam form must accompany your DR 2330 application.⁵

The Fort Collins Office: Address, Hours, Appointments

The state-run office is at 3030 S. College Ave., Suite 100, Fort Collins, CO 80526, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.⁶ All state driver license offices now require an appointment, which you book through the DMV’s online scheduling system.⁷ Slots fill quickly around month-end and during lunch hours. If Fort Collins has nothing that works for your schedule, the system lets you book at any Colorado driver license office.

What to Bring if You’re Visiting in Person

Online renewals pull from information already on file, so you generally don’t need physical documents unless the system flags an issue. In-person visits are a different matter. Bring documentation in three categories: identity, Colorado residency, and Social Security number.

Proof of Identity and Lawful Presence

A current or recently expired Colorado license (expired less than 10 years), an unexpired U.S. passport, or a certificate of naturalization each satisfies this on its own. If you’re using a certified birth certificate instead, you’ll also need a secondary photo ID such as an out-of-state license or military ID.⁸

Proof of Colorado Residency

Bring two different documents showing your full name and current physical Colorado address, dated within the past year. Common examples: a bank statement, utility bill, lease or mortgage agreement, vehicle registration, insurance policy, or first-class mail from a government agency. Electronic versions on your phone are accepted. A P.O. Box doesn’t count as an address.⁸

Social Security Number

Your SSN must be verified, but you don’t always need to bring the physical card. If your number is already on file from a prior transaction, the system verifies it electronically through the Social Security Administration. If automated verification fails, bring your Social Security card or another document that shows your full name and SSN, such as a W-2, tax return, or pay stub.⁹

Fees

A standard Colorado driver license renewal is $34.¹ A motorcycle endorsement adds $2. In-person transactions accept cash, checks, and major credit cards. Mail-in renewals require a check or money order. Online renewals accept credit cards and electronic checks.

When Your New License Arrives

All Colorado licenses, whichever channel you use, are printed and mailed from a secure central production facility. Cards usually arrive in 8 to 10 days but can take up to 30 days.¹⁰ If you renewed in person, the office gives you a temporary paper permit valid until your plastic card arrives. For online and mail renewals, carry your old license in the meantime as proof of driving privileges.

REAL ID at Renewal

Federal REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025. Without a REAL ID-compliant license or another acceptable form of identification such as a passport, you cannot board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities.¹¹ A REAL ID-compliant Colorado license has a gold star in the upper right corner.

If you already hold a compliant Colorado license and your documents are on file, a standard online renewal keeps that status. If you’ve never had a compliant credential and want one, plan on an in-person visit to the Fort Collins office with all the required identity, residency, and Social Security documents.⁹

If Your License Is Already Expired

Driving on a license expired one year or less is a class B traffic infraction under C.R.S. § 42-2-101. The charge is dismissed if you renew and show the valid license to the court at or before your scheduled appearance.¹² That’s a reason to renew quickly after a citation rather than contest it.

Once you pass the one-year mark, the picture changes. You won’t qualify for a simple renewal and will likely need to retake the written and driving tests as a first-time applicant.³ An expired license can also complicate insurance claims, since many auto policies contain exclusions for losses occurring while the driver is in violation of the law.

Active Duty Military Extensions

Colorado residents on active duty stationed outside the state qualify for a free, automatic three-year extension of their license. The license cannot have been expired more than three years at the time of the request. To apply, submit a letter from your commanding officer confirming active duty status and out-of-state assignment, or a copy of your military orders. Starting January 1, 2027, spouses and dependents of active duty service members will also be eligible for this extension.¹³

Adding the Digital Version

Colorado issues a mobile driver’s license (mDL) that lives in your phone’s digital wallet, with support for Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. The digital version is accepted at eligible TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.¹⁴ It does not replace your physical card. You’ll still need the plastic credential for many state and local government offices, bars, and traffic stops where an officer asks for a physical license.

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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Standard Licenses and IDs
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
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Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-118 – Renewal of License in Person, by Mail, or Electronically
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Mature Drivers
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Driver License Office Locations
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Appointment Scheduling Information
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Required Identification Documents to Get Your Permit, Driver License, or Identification Card
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. FAQ – Driver License
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Colorado.Public.Law. Colorado Revised Statutes CRS 42-2-101 – Licenses for Drivers Required
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Active Duty Military and Veterans
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Colorado ID on Your Phone