Can I renew my driver's license without going in person?
2 Answers
You can renew your driver's license without going in person. The renewal can be handled by an agent, who needs to provide their ID card and sign both the driver's and the agent's names on the driver's license application form for it to be valid. The renewal and inspection must meet the following conditions: The holder of a large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium-sized passenger vehicle, or large truck driver's license has no demerit points in the current scoring cycle, or the holder of another type of driver's license has not accumulated 12 demerit points in the current scoring cycle; The holder of a large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium-sized passenger vehicle, or large truck driver's license has demerit points in one scoring cycle, or the holder of another type of driver's license has been involved in a traffic accident causing death and bears equal or greater responsibility without having their driver's license revoked, and has completed the required inspection education; The applicant has no pending road traffic safety violations or traffic accidents; The applicant's physical condition meets the driving permit requirements; The motor vehicle driver's license is not under legal seizure, detention, suspension, revocation, cancellation, or annulment.
From my years of driving experience, I've learned that renewing a driver's license generally requires personal attendance. The main reason is the mandatory physical examination at designated locations, which includes vision tests and assessments of limb coordination—procedures that must be completed in person for real-time evaluation and recording by doctors or equipment. If your vision falls short or other issues arise, they simply won't renew your license. A friend once tried delegating the task to a family member, bringing a copy of his ID and a power of attorney to the DMV, only to be turned away—staff insisted on his presence for photo-taking and identity verification. While some cities now offer online appointment scheduling via WeChat mini-programs or apps to reduce queuing, the critical steps of medical checks and photo capture still require an in-person DMV visit. My advice: check your license expiration date a month ahead, schedule accordingly, and avoid procrastination to prevent license invalidation and the hassle of retaking driving tests. Also, bring all necessary documents—old license, original ID—to spare yourself wasted trips.
