DC Department of Motor Vehicles Extends Deadline for Renewing Expired Driver License/ID Cards

(Washington, DC) – This week, the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) extended the time residents have to renew expired driver licenses and identification (ID) cards to September 9, 2021. The previously announced deadline was July 1, 2021. This action, as well as other changes DC DMV is making, will give residents more time to renew driver licenses and other ID cards that require an in-person appointment at a DMV Service Center.

This announcement does NOT impact the enforcement of valid inspections and vehicle registrations that took effect on June 1, 2021.

In-person service at all DC DMV service centers, adjudication services, and the Deanwood CDL Office is still by appointment only. DC DMV will continue to offer more appointments and other options to ensure all residents have a chance to be in compliance with their credentials before the September 9, 2021 deadline. Changes at DC DMV include:

• Beginning this month, the number of new appointments released each week will increase from 6,000 to 10,000 as DMV employees return to work and the agency increases its operating capacity.
• The DC DMV Rhode Island Service Center will reopen at full capacity beginning Friday, June 25, 2021.
• Employees will continue to work overtime so appointments may be scheduled on select Monday and Wednesday evenings.
• DMV will continue to monitor appointments and so that more appointments can be added to specific categories based on demand.

New appointments are added to the online appointment scheduler Tuesday through Friday (new appointments may appear throughout the week due to cancellations). Residents without Internet access can call 311 and a call taker will access the online appointment scheduler on their behalf.

When scheduling an appointment through the online appointment scheduler, residents should:

• Check appointment availability at all locations as one may have appointments available while another may not.
• Avoid refreshing the appointment page while waiting. Because of heavy website volume, the scheduler will move slower as it navigates from page to page.
• Use the Online Document Verification Guide to ensure they have the necessary documents to complete their transaction and will not have to make another appointment.

DC DMV will continue to share information with residents about how to resolve issues, either online or by making an appointment, including:

• DC residents with REAL ID compliant credentials (black star in upper right corner) renew online at dmv.dc.gov, by mail, or through DC DMV's mobile app. There is no appointment option for these DC residents.
• The “Non-REAL ID Credential Renewal” appointment service is ONLY for DC residents with an expired DC driver license or ID card that is not REAL ID compliant.
• The “Senior Appointment” service is ONLY for DC residents aged 65 or older. Senior appointments made by residents who do not meet the age restriction will not be honored by DC DMV. Note: Residents 70 and older must make an in-person appointment regardless of whether their license is REAL ID compliant to provide medical certification on a driver license application. Additionally, seniors are not required to book this appointment category; they can book any category that has appointment availability.
• The “New Resident” appointment service is ONLY for new DC residents who are converting an out-of-state driver license or ID card and if also applicable, registering and titling a vehicle with an out-of-state title/ registration.
• The “Private Sale Title/Tags” appointment service is only for DC residents who have recently purchased a vehicle from a private seller and need to title and register the vehicle. For vehicles purchased from a car dealership, the dealership is responsible for submitting the resident’s paperwork and payment to DC DMV for titling and registering. The turnaround time for DC DMV “dealer work” is 7 to 10 business days.
• The “DL/ID and Vehicle Related Services” appointment service is for residents who need to obtain a new DC credential and/or new DC vehicle title and registration. Except for the driver knowledge testing, residents may select this category for all services requiring an in-person appointment (including renewal of non-REAL ID credential, seniors, new resident, and private sale title/tags).
  • New residents who need to complete driver license conversions and/or vehicle registrations may also schedule appointments under the “DL/ID and Vehicle Related Services” category.
• The “Driver Knowledge Testing” appointment service is for beginning DC drivers who must demonstrate they are prepared to operate a vehicle based on DC law. Additionally, some residents have license issues that require the knowledge test to be retaken. Knowledge testing may also be scheduled at a third-party Test Proctoring Center.