Larimer County Driver’s License Renewal: Offices, Fees, REAL ID

If you live in Larimer County, driver’s license renewal happens one of two ways: online through Colorado’s myDMV portal, or in person at the state driver license office in Fort Collins or Loveland. The fee is $34, and most adults between 21 and 80 can finish the online version in a few minutes.¹ Renewal is also the natural moment to check whether your card has the REAL ID gold star, since TSA now enforces that requirement for domestic flights.

Renewing Online

Colorado’s myDMV portal at mydmv.colorado.gov is open around the clock and accepts credit or debit cards. After you submit, DMV staff review the application before finalizing it. If something needs attention, you’ll get an email with instructions. Your printed receipt plus your old license serves as a temporary credential until the new card arrives in the mail.¹

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

You are 21 or older.
Your photo on file is less than 10 years old. Because a standard Colorado license lasts five years, this usually means an office visit every other cycle just to update the photo.
Your license has been expired less than one year.
You have no name or vision changes since your last renewal.
You have no active restrictions, suspensions, or pending actions on your record.
You have no DUI convictions in the past five years.
You have no special medical restrictions on the license.

Drivers under 80 self-certify during the online process that they’ve had an eye exam within the past year. Drivers 80 and older can still renew online, but must upload a completed Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Statement (form DR 2498) confirming an eye exam within the preceding six months.¹ A mail-in renewal is also available to older drivers using form DR 2330.

When You Have to Renew in Person

Several situations rule out the online portal. Plan on an office visit if any of these describe you:

You are under 21. A Colorado minor license expires 20 days after your 21st birthday, and the transition to an adult license has to be done in person on or after that date.
Your license has been expired a year or longer.
Your photo on file is more than 10 years old.
You need a name change, sex designation update, or other legal status change.
Your vision has changed.
Your license is suspended or otherwise invalid.
You’ve had a DUI conviction in the past five years.
You hold a temporarily lawfully present credential.
You’re renewing a hazardous materials endorsement on a commercial license.

The Fort Collins and Loveland Offices

Larimer County has two state-operated driver license offices, both run by the Colorado Department of Revenue rather than the county. The Larimer County government offices on Oak Street in Fort Collins and 6th Street in Loveland handle vehicle registration and titling only and cannot process license renewals.

Fort Collins

The full-service office is at 3030 S. College Avenue, Suite 100, Fort Collins, CO 80526. It handles renewals, new licenses, permits, ID cards, written tests for regular and motorcycle licenses, commercial written tests, and reinstatements.²

Loveland

The Loveland office is at 118 E. 29th Street, Suite F, Loveland, CO 80538. It offers the same renewal and new-license services along with regular and motorcycle written tests and reinstatements.²

Booking an Appointment

Colorado driver license offices run primarily by appointment. Limited walk-in slots open on a first-come, first-served basis when the schedule allows, but the state strongly recommends booking through its online scheduler at dmv.colorado.gov. Show up without an appointment and there’s a real chance you won’t be seen that day.³

What to Bring to the Office

For a straightforward renewal of a current Colorado license, the paperwork is light. Bring your existing license and be ready to provide your Social Security number, which the state verifies electronically against federal records.⁴ You’ll confirm your legal name, date of birth, and address at the window.

If you’ve moved, bring proof of your new Colorado address: a utility bill, bank statement, lease, or similar document with your name and current physical address dated within the past year. The state suggests bringing two address documents in case one is questioned.¹

If you hold a license under the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (CO-RCSA) because you cannot demonstrate lawful presence, bring a completed Colorado Residency Affidavit (form DR 2212A) and one proof of your current physical Colorado address dated within the past year.⁵ Bank statements, pay stubs, utility bills, lease statements, vehicle registration, and first-class mail from a government agency all qualify.

Vision Screening

Every renewal requires a vision check. The standard is 20/40 acuity in at least one eye. Renew online under 80, and you self-certify to a recent exam. Renew in person and the office administers the test on-site.

If you fail the in-office screening, staff will issue a Confidential Medical/Eye Exam Report (form DR 2401) for your eye doctor to complete and return. That isn’t a denial; it’s a request for a specialist to document your corrected vision or any needed restrictions, such as corrective lenses while driving.

Fees and Payment

The standard renewal fee is $34.⁶ Online, you pay by credit or debit card at submission. In person, the offices accept credit cards, debit cards, checks, money orders, and cash.

Temporary Paper Card and the Permanent One

You’ll walk away with a temporary credential either way. For online renewals, that’s your printed receipt paired with your old license. For in-person visits, the office prints a temporary paper credential at the counter.⁵ The permanent card arrives by mail within 30 days.⁷

One catch matters if you fly during that window: TSA does not accept temporary paper credentials at security checkpoints.⁸ Bring your passport or another federally accepted ID for any flight before the new card shows up.

REAL ID at Renewal

As of May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts non-REAL ID driver’s licenses for boarding domestic flights or entering certain federal facilities.⁹ Look at the upper right corner of your current Colorado license. A gold star means it’s REAL ID compliant, and renewal will preserve that status.

No gold star and want one? You’ll need an in-person visit with additional identity documents, typically a birth certificate or passport, your Social Security card or a W-2 showing your full SSN, and proof of Colorado residency. The online portal cannot upgrade a non-compliant license to REAL ID.

You don’t strictly need a REAL ID if you already have another federally accepted travel ID. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, or Global Entry card all work at TSA checkpoints.⁸

If Your License Has Already Expired

Expired less than a year? You can still renew normally, online if you meet the other criteria, or in person. Colorado does not charge a separate late fee within that window.¹

Expired a year or longer, and online is off the table. You must go to an office in person, and the state may require written or other testing before it reissues the credential. The fee is unchanged, but the visit is longer and the outcome less certain. Driving on an expired license is a traffic offense in Colorado regardless of how long it’s been expired.

Commercial Driver’s License Renewal

CDL holders follow the same general process but with federal requirements layered on top. You must have a current DOT medical examiner’s certificate on file with the state. If your medical card expires before your license renewal, the state will downgrade your commercial privileges until you submit a new one.¹⁰

A hazardous materials endorsement must be renewed in person and cannot be done online. It requires a TSA background check and fingerprinting through IdentoGo, which TSA recommends starting at least 60 days before you need the determination. If the endorsement lapses, HazMat privileges won’t be restored until the background check clears.

Online CDL renewal is available only when the license has been expired less than a year and a valid DOT medical card is on file. Commercial learner permits cannot be renewed at all; you retake the commercial written tests in an office.¹

1
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
2
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Driver License Office Locations
3
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Welcome to the Appointment Scheduling Information Page
4
Legal Information Institute. 1 CCR 204-30-6 – Rules for the Application for a Drivers License or Identification Card for US Citizens and Individuals Who Can Demonstrate Permanent Lawful Presence and Colorado Residency
5
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Standard Licenses and IDs
6
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
7
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Colorado Permits and First-Time Driver License
8
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
9
Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Colorado Is REAL ID Ready
10
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical