Missouri Driver's License Renewal

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Missouri renews driver's licenses on a 6-year cycle for most adults, but the renewal process is more involved than in many states because Missouri requires a vision and road sign test at every renewal. The Missouri Department of Revenue sends a renewal notice 60 days before expiration, and the renewal can be completed at any fee office or, in limited cases, online.

Renewal cycle

Missouri's renewal cycle:

Ages 21-69: 6-year cycle.
Under 21: 3-year cycle to align with the 21st birthday card design.
Ages 70 and older: 3-year cycle, with vision and sign test at every renewal.

The expiration date prints on the front of the license. Missouri offers a 6-month grace window during which the license remains valid for in-state driving but cannot be used as ID for federal purposes; driving on a license expired more than 6 months requires the full new-applicant procedure.

Online renewal eligibility

Missouri's online renewal portal is more limited than most states. To renew online through the DOR's eDrive system, the applicant must:

Hold a current REAL ID-compliant Missouri Class F license.
Have completed the previous renewal in person at a fee office.
Have no recent change of address, name, or vision-correction status.
Be between ages 21 and 69 — drivers under 21 and 70+ must visit a fee office.
Have no outstanding ticket, child-support hold, or DOR action.

The online fee is the same as the fee office charge. Missouri does not skip the vision and sign test for online renewals — the eligibility window between in-person renewals is one cycle, meaning every other renewal must be in person to satisfy the test requirement.

Fee office renewal

An in-person renewal at a fee office is required for:

Drivers 70 and older.
Drivers under 21.
Any renewal that includes a name change, address change, or REAL ID upgrade.
Any renewal where the prior license was suspended or revoked.
First-time renewals of a license originally issued out of state.
Every other 6-year cycle in Missouri's alternating in-person rule.

Bring the current license, one proof of Missouri residency dated within 30 days, and the renewal notice (or the license number if the notice was lost). The fee office performs the vision screening and road sign test on the same visit.

Fees

Missouri renewal fees:

$25 for a 6-year Class F renewal.
$11 for a 3-year renewal (under 21 and 70+).
$15 for a duplicate or replacement card during the renewal period.
Optional REAL ID upgrade is included in the standard fee — no separate charge.

The vision and sign test at every renewal

Missouri is one of a small group of states that require a vision and sign test at every driver's license renewal, regardless of the driver's age. The vision test screens for 20/40 acuity in the better eye, with corrective lenses if used. The road sign test displays standard Missouri signs and asks the applicant to identify the meaning. Both tests are administered before the photo and the new license issuance. Drivers who fail the vision test can return after seeing an optometrist; drivers who fail the road sign test can retake it the same day after a brief review.

REAL ID upgrade at renewal

Missouri began issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses in 2019. If your current license predates 2019 or shows "Not for Federal Identification" on the front, the next renewal is the natural time to upgrade. Bring full identity, SSN, lawful status, and two residency documents to the fee office. The REAL ID upgrade is included in the standard $25 fee. Missouri's standard non-REAL ID license remains available for drivers who prefer not to provide federal identity documents — see the driver's license page.

If your license has been expired more than 6 months, Missouri requires the written knowledge test in addition to the vision and sign tests. If expired more than 3 years, the full driving skills test is also required — effectively treating the renewal as a new application. See the address change page for the steps to update the license after a move within Missouri or from another state.