A Washington DOL change of address must be reported to the Department of Licensing within ten days of your move, either online through License eXpress or by mailing Form 500039.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.205 – Change of Address or Name Updating the record itself is free. A replacement card showing the new address is optional and costs $20.
Update Your Address Online
The fastest route is License eXpress at secure.dol.wa.gov. Log in with your existing account, or create one using your driver license number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Select the option to update your address, enter the new residential address, and confirm. The system returns a confirmation number when the change goes through.2Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Name or Address on Your Driver License
Online submissions update your driving record quickly and give you an immediate digital record that you reported the change inside the ten-day window. If your mailing address differs from your physical residence, License eXpress lets you enter both separately so DOL mail reaches the right place.
Update Your Address by Mail
If you prefer paper, download Form 500039 from the DOL website or pick one up at a licensing office. Fill it out, sign it, and mail it to:2Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Name or Address on Your Driver License
Driver Vehicle Records
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9030
Olympia, WA 98507
DOL only accepts mailed address changes on this specific form. A handwritten letter or a note scribbled on another DOL document won’t be processed. Mail takes longer than an online submission, so if you’re close to the ten-day deadline, use License eXpress instead.
What the Form Asks For
Form 500039 is short. You’ll provide:
- Your full legal name, exactly as it appears on your current license or ID
- Date of birth
- Driver license or ID card number (double-check every character; one wrong digit delays processing)
- Previous address on file with DOL
- New residential address, including apartment or suite number
- Mailing address, only if different from the residential address
- Phone number and email, so DOL can reach you about any problem
- Your signature
There is no fee for the address update itself, whether you file online or by mail.3Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Name or Address on Enhanced Driver License (EDL)
The Ten-Day Deadline
RCW 46.20.205 requires anyone with a Washington driver license or ID card to notify DOL in writing within ten days of moving.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.205 – Change of Address or Name The clock starts the day you actually move into the new place, not the day you sign a lease or close on a house. The rule applies to both your residential and mailing addresses; if either changes, report it.
The statute does not set a specific dollar fine for missing the ten-day window. An outdated address still causes practical problems: legal notices and registration renewals go to the wrong place, and a stale address on your record during a traffic stop invites questions you’d rather not deal with.
Do You Need a New Card?
Updating your address in DOL’s system does not automatically send you a new card. Your current license stays legally valid even though it shows the old address, as long as the digital record is current.2Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Name or Address on Your Driver License If you don’t need a card showing the new address, wait until your next renewal.
If you want a replacement card with the updated address printed on it, order one for $20. The same fee applies to both standard and enhanced driver licenses.3Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Name or Address on Enhanced Driver License (EDL) If you want a new photo at the same time, book an appointment at a licensing office. Replacement enhanced driver licenses usually arrive within ten days; if yours hasn’t shown up after thirty days, call DOL at 360-902-4071.
What This Update Does Not Cover
Changing the address on your driver license does not change the address on your vehicle registration. That’s a separate DOL transaction, and people regularly assume one update handles both and then miss their registration renewal notice.2Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Name or Address on Your Driver License
Voter registration is handled differently. Under the National Voter Registration Act, submitting a driver license address change to a state motor vehicle agency also updates your voter registration address unless you opt out.4U.S. Department of Justice. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) Washington’s Automatic Voter Registration system goes further: when you show proof of U.S. citizenship during certain DOL transactions, your voter registration is updated automatically, and you’ll get a mailed notice explaining how to decline if you’d rather not be registered.5WA Secretary of State. Automatic Voter Registration (AVR)
Enhanced Driver Licenses
If you hold an enhanced driver license, the process is the same: online through License eXpress or by mailing Form 500039 to the same Olympia address, within the same ten-day window.3Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Name or Address on Enhanced Driver License (EDL) The record update is free, and a replacement EDL is $20.