Driver licenses by mail

QUESTION: I have a question about renewing drivers licenses. When my license expired last year I received a notice from the DMV with an application to renew by mail three months before the expiration date. This summer when my wife’s license expired she received nothing. It expired and she didn’t get to renew it until two months later. When we went to the DMV at the County Clerk’s office to renew, we asked the clerk why we never received the application to renew by mail and were told it’s done on a random basis and there are stipulations. Why aren’t drivers notified their licenses are expiring and why aren’t all renewals by mail?
- Ron Cellucci

ANSWER: Because of the transient population and, in some cases, a 10-year time period between renewals, it would be expensive and nearly impossible to notify all Colorado drivers about expiring licenses.

There are many reasons everyone can’t renew by mail, according to the Department of Revenue. First, if they renewed by mail last time they’re not eligible again. Just think how old the photo would be!

Drivers older than 60 are required to come in for an eye test. Drivers who moved since the last renewal have to appear in person. The same applies if they have a different name(married, divorced, name change). If a driver received traffic tickets, even if they were paid or were nonmoving violations, mail renewal is out. People who have driver licenses are now required to have a Social Security number on file in the database and, if they don’t, are required to come to the bureau in person with their number. The SSN no longer appears on the license, just in the database.If someone at an address renewed a license within a certain period of time, a second driver at the same address can’t renew by mail. There’s only one mail renewal at an address, according to the department. If a person moved but didn’t change address with the department, the next person at that address can’t renew by mail.