DMV Extends All Expiring Driver Licenses

Contact:  Office of Public Affairs
2415 First Avenue 
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 657–6437 | dmvpublicaffairs@dmv.ca.gov

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PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA
April 14, 2020

Customers eligible to renew license online encouraged to do so
Commercial licenses extended through June 30; drivers under 70 extended through May 31
Drivers can request an optional paper extension online
Drivers 70 and older will automatically receive temporary paper extension valid for 120 days

Sacramento – The California Department of Motor Vehicles is extending driver licenses expiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Licenses for drivers younger than 70 that expire between March and May 2020 are now valid through May 31, 2020.

All commercial driver licenses, endorsements and certificates expiring between March and June 2020 are now valid through June 30, 2020, aligning with a recent emergency declaration from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The extension does not include medical certificates for commercial drivers, which requires additional administrative actions scheduled in the near future.

The DMV has alerted California law enforcement of the extensions. Californians with a suspended license are not eligible.

The DMV continues to review and process online renewals, and encourages drivers who are eligible to renew their license online to do so.

The extensions require no individual action on the part of drivers. These drivers will not receive a new card or an extension in the mail. As an option, these drivers can solicitar una extensión de papel temporal gratuita en línea through DMV’s Virtual Field Office to document their extension.

The Virtual Field Office, virtual.dmv.ca.gov, builds on the other en línea already available to DMV customers at dmv.ca.gov, including driver license renewals.

The temporary extensions are in addition to other steps the DMV announced earlier this month to help Californians with expiring licenses, including:

  • A 120-day extension for drivers age 70 and older. Drivers age 70 and older with expiring noncommercial licenses are receiving an extension in the mail automatically.
  • Temporarily waiving required in-person renewals for eligible driver license and identification cardholders with expirations in March, April, and May 2020. Individuals who meet the criteria are able to renovar en línea or by mail.

The DMV continues to provide essential services via mail, online, kiosks, its call center, available business partners and now virtually to process critical transactions, including eligible driver license and vehicle registration renewals, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers can use the Asesor de Servicio en el sitio web del DMV para conocer sus opciones para completar transacciones del DMV.

The measures to help Californians with expiring driver licenses are the latest DMV actions during the
coronavirus pandemic, including:

  • Temporarily closing field offices. Following deep cleaning, expansion of virtual services and development of new protocols, the DMV soon will offer in-person services in each region. Information on office openings will be announced by DMV in the near future.
  • Canceling all behind-the-wheel drive tests to honor social distancing guidelines.
  • Suspending extended office hours and Saturday service.

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