Restrictions for Senior Drivers

Many states put restrictions on license renewals for elderly drivers. These restrictions vary from state to state, and some restrictions do not differentiate based on age. A list of some of the possible renewal restrictions for seniors is below:

• Eighteen states accelerate the renewal period for drivers over a certain age. These accelerated renewal periods range from one to ten years for senior drivers.
• Eight states and the District of Columbia require vision tests of all elderly drivers.
• Seven states do not allow drivers over a certain age to renew their licenses by mail.
• Two states require drivers over seventy-five years old to pass a road test.
• All state Departments of Motor Vehicles, Highway Safety, or Transportation have an office that a doctor or family member can make a referral about a driver who is unsafe.
• Generally, states do not require doctors to report drivers they feel are unsafe, but California requires doctors to report patients with dementia.
• Six states require doctors to report drivers with epilepsy.

See Elder Law Answers, Aging Drivers and the Law (2011).

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (WealthCounsel) for bringing this article to my attention.