Elderly Driving Laws By State

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It may surprise you to learn that none of the states in the United States require a senior citizen to give up their car keys at a certain age.

Retesting to ensure the elder is a safe driver also differs among the states.

Further, each state has its own requirements for allowing senior citizens to continue driving.

For example, seniors must pass a vision test periodically in some areas of the country, while other states make seniors renew their license on a more frequent basis than people in younger age groups.

To help you determine the laws in your state, here is a chart with information that was taken from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS.org).

It outlines at what age and in which state seniors are required to take a vision or driving test and tells you whether online renewal is permitted for drivers over a certain age.

To use the table, just look for your state and then read across to see the requirements.

If you need more information about which documents you need if you are a new resident of a state or if you need to know the answer to a frequently asked question (FAQ), we have included a link to the driver’s license division for each individual state.

Table Of Elderly Driving Laws By State

State	License Renewals	Proof Of Adequate Vision	Mail or Online Renewal Permitted
AL	Every 4 years	No	Online – every other renewal
AK	Every 5 years	69 and older, every renewal	69 and older – not permitted
AR	70 and older – every 4 – 8 years	Every other renewal	No
AZ	65 and older – every 5 years	Every renewal	No
CA	Every 5 years	70 and older, every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
CO	Every 5 years	Every renewal	66 and older – every other renewal
CT	65 and older – every 2 years	No	No
DC	Every 8 years	Every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
DE	Every 8 years	Every renewal	No
FL	80 and older – every 6 years	80 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
GA	Every 8 years	Every renewal	64 and older – not permitted
HI	72 and older – every 2 years	Every renewal	Every 2 consecutive renewals but must appear at least every 16 years
IA	72 and older – every 2 years	70 and older, every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
ID	63 and older – every 4 years	Every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
IL	81 to 86 – every 2 years 87 and older – every year	75 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
IN	75 to 84 – every 3 years 85 and older – every 2 years	75 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
KS	65 and older – every 4 years	Every renewal	No
KY	Every 8 years	No	No
LA	Every 6 years	70 and older, every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
MA	Every 5 years	75 and older, every renewal	75 and older – not permitted
MD	Every 8 years	40 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
ME	65 and older – every 4 years	62 and older, every renewal	62 and older – not permitted
MI	Every 4 years	When renewing in person	Every other renewal
MN	Every 4 years	Every renewal	No
MO	70 and older – every 3 years	Every renewal	No
MS	Every 4 to 8 years	No	Every other renewal
MT	75 and older – every 4 years	Every renewal	Every other renewal
NC	66 and older – every 5 years	Every renewal	Every other renewal
ND	78 and older – every 4 years	Every renewal	65 and older – not permitted
NE	Every 5 years	72 and older, every renewal	72 and older – not permitted
NH	Every 5 years	Every renewal	Every other renewal
NJ	70 and older – every 2 to 4 years	Every 10 years	By mail only unless new photo is required
NM	71 to 78 – every 4 years 79 and older – every year	75 and older, every renewal	75 and older – not permitted
NV	65 and older – every 4 years	71 and older, every renewal	65 and older – every other renewal
NY	Every 8 years	Every renewal	No restrictions
OH	Every 4 years	Every renewal	No
OK	Every 4 years	No	No
OR	Every 8 years	50 and older, every renewal	No
PA	65 and older – every 2 to 4 years	No	No restrictions
RI	75 and older – every 2 years	Every renewal	Every other renewal
SC	Every 8 years	Every renewal	No restrictions
SD	Every 5 years	65 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
TN	Every 8 years	No	No restrictions
TX	85 and older – every 2 years	79 and older, every renewal	79 and older – not permitted
UT	Every 8 years	65 and older, every renewal	Every other renewal
VA	75 and older – every 5 years	75 and older, every renewal	75 and older – not permitted
VT	Every 2 to 4 years	No	By mail only unless new photo is required
WA	Every 6 years	Every renewal	70 and older – not permitted
WI	Every 8 years	Every renewal	No
WV	Every 8 years	Every renewal	Online – every other renewal
WY	Every 5 years	Every 10 years	By mail – every other renewal

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age do most seniors stop driving?

AARP mentions that most individuals stop driving at the age of 75. However, some are reluctant to give up driving.

At what age do driving skills decline?

When someone should stop driving is not strictly based on age, but rather on their individual cognitive and physical abilities. Factors such as reaction time, vision, hearing, and overall health play a significant role in determining driving competence.

What is a major factor for older drivers tend to be involved in crashes?

The most common violations committed by older drivers include failing to obey traffic signals, making unsafe turns and passes, and failing to yield. As they age, the risk of potentially injuring themselves or others in crashes significantly increases. Furthermore, due to their physical frailty, older drivers are more likely to be injured in an accident and more likely to die from that injury.

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