Renewing an Oregon Driver's License

Oregon driver's licenses run on an 8-year renewal cycle for most adult holders, with a shorter cycle for older drivers and certain medical conditions. Most renewals can be completed online or by mail, but every other cycle the Oregon DMV requires an in-person visit for a fresh photo and a vision screening.

When to renew

Your Oregon driver's license expires on the holder's birthday in the expiration year printed on the card. ODOT mails a renewal notice about 90 days before expiration to the address on file — which is one reason Oregon law requires drivers to update an address change within 30 days of moving. You can renew up to one year before expiration without losing time on your new card; the new 8-year cycle starts from the previous expiration date, not the renewal date.

Driving on an expired license in Oregon is a Class C traffic violation. After the license has been expired more than one year, the driver must pass the knowledge test again; after three years, both the knowledge and drive tests are required.

Online renewal

Oregon DMV's online portal accepts renewals when:

• The driver is between 50 and 79 years old (or younger if eligible under the alternating cycle rule).
• The most recent renewal was completed in person.
• The current photo is less than 16 years old.
• The driver doesn't need to upgrade to REAL ID at this renewal.
• There are no holds, suspensions, or medical-review actions on the record.

Online renewal costs $60 for the standard 8-year credential and uses your existing photo and signature on file. The new card is mailed within 20 days. Drivers must self-certify their vision is correctable to 20/40 or better with corrective lenses.

Mail renewal

Mail-in renewal is available to Oregon licensees temporarily out of state — military members on active duty, college students at out-of-state schools, and drivers on extended business travel. The application packet includes a vision-screening form that must be completed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist within 90 days of the renewal application. The completed packet, vision form, and check are mailed to ODOT in Salem.

In-person renewal

You'll need to renew in person if any of these apply:

• This is your second consecutive renewal (the alternating in-person cycle).
• You're upgrading to REAL ID for the first time.
• You're 80 or older — Oregon requires in-person renewal at age 80+ with a vision screening.
• Your current photo is more than 16 years old.
• You've moved from another state and your last issuance wasn't an Oregon credential.
• There's a medical review, suspension, or other action on the record.

What to bring to the office

For a standard in-person renewal:

• The current Oregon driver's license (or the renewal notice if the card is lost).
• The renewal fee — $60 for the standard credential, $30 additional for a REAL ID upgrade.
• If you've changed your name, a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
• If upgrading to REAL ID, the full identity-and-residency document set: birth certificate or passport, Social Security proof, and two Oregon residency proofs.

Vision screening

The Oregon DMV vision screening checks acuity to 20/40 (with or without corrective lenses) and a 110-degree field of vision. Drivers who fail the in-office screening are referred to an outside vision specialist, who completes a DMV vision form and returns it with the results. Drivers wearing glasses or contacts during the screening will see a "corrective lenses" restriction added to their license — the restriction stays in place unless removed by a later vision examination.

Older driver renewals

Drivers 50-79 follow the standard cycle. At 80 and older, Oregon requires in-person renewal with a vision screening and may require a knowledge or drive test if the office observes any concerns. Family members or physicians can submit a confidential medical-review request to ODOT at any time if they're worried about an older driver's safety; the agency reviews each report and may require additional testing.

Once renewed, see the related guides for address and name changes, vehicle registration renewal, and how to pull a current driver record.