Answer 1: Generally speaking, you can renew your driver’s license up to one year ahead of time before the actual listed expiration. Please note, that once you renew your driver license, it is “usually” good for a period of four years before expiration. In order to see that you receive your four years of eligibility, you would need to apply for your driver’s license on or after September 1st. For example, if your driver’s license is set to expire March 15, 2012, and you wanted to get a full four years of validity (March 15, 2016), you would need to renew it on September 1, 2011 or after. If you were to renew your license prior to September 1, 2011, your driver’s license would be set to expire on March 15, 2015. Now for some people that work out of the state for a lengthy period time or travel for great lengths of time (snow birds), the Driver and Vehicle Service (DVS) encourages you to get in as soon as possible and have your driver’s license renewed ahead of time before the expiration would occur while you would be out of the area. Be sure to talk to the DVS agent and ask about “snow bird” options.

Question 2: How long after my driver’s license expires do I have to get it renewed without taking a test.

Answer 2: After one year of expiration you would need to take the written portion of the driver’s test. After five years, you would need to take the actual “behind the wheel” and written test. Note that once you driver’s license expires, you license is considered “invalid’ to law enforcement. This can become an issue on a traffic stop, crash, your auto insurance, and even when trying to use it as identification at places and businesses that require it. So in order to avoid the inconvenience this can create. Pull out your driver’s license right now and check it out. Be sure to do this often, an expired driver’s license is something I see quite a bit of on the road side.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (Or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us).