Driver's License Electronic Renewal By Seniors

Current law allows renewal of a driver's license by mail only every other renewal period. The act eliminates this restriction and allows renewal by mail only if the photo of the person that is on file with the department of revenue (department) is at least as recent as required by federal law.

Under current law, to renew a driver's license by mail, a person who is under 66 years of age must attest under penalty of law that the person has had an eye examination within the preceding 3 years. A person who is 66 years of age or older must obtain a signed statement from an optometrist or ophthalmologist attesting that the person has had an eye examination within the last 6 months and attesting to the results of the examination. For both of these requirements, the act changes the threshold from 66 to 80 years of age. The act also requires a person who is under 80 years of age and renewing by mail to attest that the person has had an eye examination within one year before the renewal.

Current law allows electronic renewal of a driver's license only for drivers who are 21 to 65 years of age and only for 2 consecutive driver's license renewal periods. The act eliminates the upper age limit for electronic renewal and the renewal period restriction and allows a person to renew a driver's license electronically only if the photo of the person that is on file with the department is at least as recent as required by federal law.

Current law requires a person renewing a driver's license electronically to attest under penalty of law that the person has had an eye examination within the preceding 3 years. The act requires a person who is under 80 years of age and renewing electronically to attest that the person has had an eye examination within one year before the renewal. A person who is 80 years of age or older and renewing electronically must obtain a signed statement from an optometrist or ophthalmologist attesting that the person has had an eye examination within the preceding 6 months and attesting to the results of the examination.

Current law allows an applicant to renew an identification card electronically if the applicant is 21 to 64 years of age. The act allows applicants who are 65 years of age or older to renew an identification card electronically.

Under current law, the department may not issue a driver's license to a person under 18 years of age unless the person has submitted a log or other written evidence certifying that the person has completed a minimum amount of actual driving experience, and the form must be signed by the person who signed an affidavit of liability for the person. The act allows this form to be signed by the person's parent or guardian or by a responsible adult.

The act requires the department, on or before June 1, 2022, and on or before June 1 each of the next two years thereafter, to provide to the general assembly a report concerning motor vehicle accidents in Colorado, which report includes data, organized by the age of each at-fault driver, concerning the cause of each such accident, including data related to driver actions and the most apparent human contributing factor of each accident.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)