Renewing a driver’s license in California has, until now, been something very easy to do, right? Well, from now on, for thousands of older adults it won’t be so easy… The Department of Motor Vehicles has imposed a rule that especially affects the group of drivers over 70 years old, and even more so those who have had any incidents in recent years…
These people will have to renew their license in person and take new medical and cognitive tests. Road safety is not a game and the DMV doesn’t want the roads to become unsafe. In a state where the population is increasingly aging, changes in regulations are becoming more and more common.
The DMV’s new change
The DMV proposes that anyone over the age of 70 who wants to renew their licenses, especially if they have had any kind of accident in recent years, must retake the medical tests that allow them to keep driving safely for themselves and for the rest of the road users.
Who is affected by this new change?
As we said, those over 70 who want to continue driving in the state of California, but not all of them. The regulation is specifically aimed at those who, in the past two years, have committed any of the following infractions:
- Have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI)
- Have caused or been involved in a traffic accident
- Have any type of recorded traffic violation
If you meet any of these criteria, you will no longer be able to renew your license automatically or online, as was usual for many. Renewal will only be in person and with prior evaluations, good luck waiting at the DMV office.
Mandatory tests for older drivers
Affected drivers must undergo tests designed to evaluate their driving ability. Don’t worry, it’s not like you have to take your driving test again, they are just physical tests:
- Vision test
- Written test
- Medical and cognitive evaluation
And if you’re wondering what it’s for, basically to confirm that you’re still fully capable in terms of cognitive resources and, above all, that you don’t pose a danger to road safety.
What conditions are taken into account?
The DMV is especially alert to older adults who may have health problems that seriously affect driving (such as dementia, diabetes, cataracts, epilepsy, or Alzheimer’s).
Is this a discriminatory measure?
Authorities insist it’s not, but that it aims to prevent accidents increasingly involving older people. The data from 2022 (the last year for which records exist) indicates that 15% of accidents and deaths were caused by adults over 65 years old. Unfortunately, this seems to be a rising trend and the DMV wants to make sure no more lives are lost on the road.
Goodbye to online renewals
Yes, these users will no longer have access to online automatic renewal, so they will have to go to the offices to take the tests and get their renewal.
Why is this being done?
Because the previous system allowed some drivers with health problems to go unnoticed, and now they want to meet minimum safety standards.
How many people will be affected?
According to official data, 91% of eligible drivers in the U.S. have a valid license. Considering that California has one of the most aged populations in the country, this regulatory change could affect hundreds of thousands of people in just the coming years.
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— CA DMV (@CA_DMV) June 13, 2025