Do I have to go in person to renew my driver's license?
2 Answers
Not necessarily, you can also authorize an agent to handle it. Here are the precautions for renewing an expired driver's license: 1. If the driver's license has been expired for less than one year: Just renew it in time. 2. If the driver's license has been expired for more than one year but less than three years: At this time, the driver's license is in a "canceled but recoverable" state, and you must apply to the vehicle management office to take the theoretical test for Subject 1 in order to obtain the renewed driver's license. 3. Driver's license: If it has been expired for three years or more, the original driver's license will be canceled, and you can only go to the driving school to register and re-learn to get a driver's license. 4. Once the driver's license is expired: It is considered driving without a license. If you are caught by the traffic police, you will face fines or even detention.
I renewed my driver's license a few days ago, and it indeed requires personal attendance. At the local traffic management office, the staff mentioned that on-site photo-taking, signature verification, and sometimes a simple vision test are necessary, mainly to confirm identity and safe driving capability. As someone who drives frequently, I find this reasonable to prevent others from handling the process and messing up the information. If you really can't go, such as due to illness or business trips, some places allow online applications or authorizing a relative or friend to handle it with a power of attorney, but the process is cumbersome and requires providing a bunch of supporting documents. I recommend checking local policies in advance and taking half a day off on a weekday to make the trip, bringing along your ID card, old driver's license, and health certificate.
