When the internet became popular, one of the first early adopters was the government. Of course, they did this in a purely informative capacity, and it took years for any paperwork to be able to be completed online, but if something positive came from the COVID 19 pandemic it is that institutions were forced to upgrade their security protocols, one of the main concerns, and figure out ways to help citizens complete their processes online. The state of Washington is not an exception to this, and they are now taking all that they learned from those trying times to now allow their residents to renew their driver’s license online.
As per usual with these updates, not everyone qualifies to renew their license online. The first requisite is that you need to actually live in Washington and be at least 24 years old. The second important caveat is that your address must be current with the Department of Licensing (DOL), so if you have recently moved make sure that it is updated before you start this process.
If you fulfill these conditions, you might still not be able to renew your driver’s license online, as the state has decided that you will only be able to do it every other time, so, if you have already mailed it in or used the website last time you will need to show up in person to verify your identity, any data that might be obsolete, and just so that a person can confirm that you are in a fit state to drive.
Some other conditions that might prevent you from renewing your driver’s license online are if your license expired more than 60 days ago, if it was suspended or revoked, if you need a name change, or if you need to upgrade to an Enhanced or REAL ID. Commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) are also excluded from the online option.
What would you need in order to renew your driver’s license online in the state of Washington
The most obvious things that you will either need to know by heart or keep close are your driver’s license number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. These are common ways to verify your identity and they will be used in the same way here.
But, if your Social Security number is not already on file with the DOL or there is a mistake, which happens more often than you might think, you will have to fix that in person first, likely in an office To prove your Social Security number, you can use your Social Security card, a W-2 form, or a pay stub that includes the number.
If all your information is correct and there are no reasons why the program would not let you renew online (if there are any issues you will be notified at many points in the process and you will be redirected to go in person to one of the DOL offices so that it can be sorted out in person) the last thing you will need to do us pay, so have a couple of debit or credit cards ready in case it does not go through with the first payment method.
The renewal fee varies depending on what kind of license you have and whether you are adding any extras, but if you have paid before for the same type of license the price will not take you by surprise. Getting your license issued will usually take 7 to 10 business days, but you can use a temporary one in the meantime that will be issued along with the proof of payment until the official document is sent to your address.