Reviewed and updated October 12, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read from the California DMV's own pages that day, and the DMV page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
The online renewal and its 90-day window, what a renewal costs, how long a license lasts, the cases that require a visit, and the questions the DMV answers. Getting a first license is on the driver's license page.
In this guide: Renewing online, What a renewal costs, How long a license lasts, When you have to go in, Questions the DMV answers about renewal
Renewing online
A California driver's license or ID card can be renewed online within 90 days of its expiration date through a MyDMV account, with a bank account or card for payment. The DMV's conditions: the address on file must be current (change it at least 3 days before renewing), and nothing on the card can change during the renewal. The renewal starts on the DMV's online renewal page; the status of an ordered card can be checked on its card status page, and the DMV publishes its processing times for anyone whose card is slow to arrive.
What a renewal costs
| Card | Fee |
|---|---|
| Driver's license, Class C, M1 or M2, renewal | $46 |
| Noncommercial Class A or B, renewal | $46 |
| Commercial Class A or B, renewal | $59 |
| Commercial Class C, renewal | $59 |
| ID card, regular, renewal | $40 |
| ID card, age 62 or older, renewal | No fee |
| Reduced fee ID card, renewal | $11 |
Paying by card adds a service fee: 1.95 percent online, at a kiosk or by phone, and 2.1 percent in an office. The DMV's table lists no service fee for a bank account (checking or eCheck). Source: the DMV's licensing fees page.
How long a license lasts
Every original license expires on the holder's fifth birthday after the application date, under California Vehicle Code section 12816(a). If the identity document used for the application expires sooner than five years, the license is a limited term license and expires on the same date as that document.
When you have to go in
The DMV requires an in-person renewal when the online conditions are not met and in these cases from its renewal page: a change of address, name, physical description or license class (an address change can instead go on the paper notice for a renewal by mail); a vision result that may fall below 20/40 with both eyes or 20/70 in the weaker eye, including after surgery that corrected one eye for distance and the other for near vision; and a recently acquired disability that affects safe driving, which may also bring a behind-the-wheel test. Offices are closed on weekends and DMV holidays; appointments are booked on the DMV's appointment page, and the Santa Barbara office's hours and services are on its SearchSystems page.
Questions the DMV answers about renewal
When should I expect my renewal notice?
The DMV mails a courtesy notice about four months before the license expires. If it does not arrive, a paper renewal notice can be requested from the DMV.
Can I change my address while renewing online?
No. The DMV allows no changes to the address, date of birth, physical description or license class during an online renewal. Change the address first, at least 3 days before renewing, or enter the new address on the paper notice and renew by mail.
What is the vision standard?
At least 20/40 with both eyes tested together and at least 20/70 in the weaker eye. The DMV says a person who had surgery correcting one eye for distance and the other for close-up vision may not meet the standard and must renew in person.
Do I have to report a disability?
A recent disability that affects safe driving means an in-person renewal, and the DMV may require a behind-the-wheel test. A condition that cannot get worse and does not prevent safe driving, such as the loss of a limb or an eye, need not be reported again if it was reported before. Temporary conditions such as a broken bone or pregnancy are not reported.
Is there a different process at 70?
Yes. The DMV keeps a separate page, Driver's License Renewal for 70+, and a Senior Drivers guide.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the California DMV's online renewal and licensing fees pages, read on October 12, 2026.