By Pedro Bianco
En esta noticia
In most U.S. states, a driver’s license is renewed every few years. But in one case, once drivers reach a certain age, that period is cut to the minimum. In this state, older drivers receive a license that is valid for just one year and therefore must be renewed every 12 months.
Drivers at or above this age get a license valid for no more than one year
In New Mexico, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) rule is clear: drivers age 79 or older receive a one-year license and must renew it every year. That is the shortest term in the system.
The difference from other drivers is stark. Those between 71 and 78 renew on a four-year cycle, and younger drivers can choose four- or eight-year terms. In other words, when drivers turn 79, the term drops from several years to just one.
Step by step: how to renew a driver’s license
Renewal is generally done in person at any DMV office (and, for those who qualify, online). These are the steps for an in-person renewal:
- Go to a DMV office; no appointment is needed.
- Bring the required documents: your current license and, to get a Real ID, additional proof of identity, proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of address in New Mexico.
- Take the vision test, required at every renewal for older drivers.
- Pay the required fee and hand over the current license, which is returned punched along with a temporary license valid for 45 days.
- Receive the new license by mail, which arrives within 45 days.
Renewal can be done starting 90 days before expiration and up to 30 days after. For drivers age 79 or older, it is worth checking with the DMV whether the process can be done online in their case, with the vision test submitted electronically by a professional, or whether it must be done in person.