Does a driver's license expire?
2 Answers
Yes, it expires. A driver's license has a validity period. The initial license is valid for 6 years, and you should apply for a renewal within 90 days before the expiration date. According to Article 56 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," if the driver has not accumulated 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during the six-year validity period of the license, they can renew it for a ten-year validity period. If the driver has not accumulated 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during the ten-year validity period, they can renew it for a long-term valid driver's license.
Having driven for nearly twenty years, I've renewed my driver's license two or three times myself. At first, I didn’t realize it could expire, but later I noticed the validity period was almost up when checking the license. Generally, a Class C license is valid for 6 years, and after renewal, it can be extended to 10 years. Later, it may even become permanently valid, but you still need to update your information periodically. This is because personal details and health conditions recorded on the license can change, such as declining eyesight or an updated address. I have friends who forgot to renew their licenses and were stopped by the police and fined. Nowadays, the DMV app has a reminder feature that notifies you 90 days in advance, which is quite convenient. Make sure to keep your photo up to date to avoid unnecessary trips. Checking your license’s expiration date annually is a good habit for drivers to develop, preventing last-minute hassles.
