Is a Driver's License Valid for Life?
3 Answers
A driver's license is not valid for life. Here are the details: 1. Validity period of a driver's license: The initial driver's license is valid for 6 years. If there is no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during these 6 years, you can renew it for a 10-year validity period. If there is no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during the 10-year validity period, you can renew it for a long-term valid license. However, the specific duration of 'long-term validity' is not clearly defined. 2. Regulations on the use of motor vehicle driver's licenses: Individuals aged 60 or above are not allowed to drive large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams. Holders of licenses for large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, or large trucks must go to the vehicle management office at or outside the place where the license was issued to exchange their license for one that permits driving small cars or small automatic transmission vehicles.
A driver's license is definitely not valid for a lifetime. When I got my license, it clearly stated a six-year validity period. Later, I learned that this timeline is well thought out. The first six years are considered a probationary period—as long as you don’t accumulate 12 penalty points, you can upgrade to a 10-year license upon renewal. If you continue to drive responsibly without violations during those 10 years, you can then obtain a long-term license. However, 'long-term' doesn’t exactly mean 'lifetime.' Once drivers reach the age of 70, they must visit the DMV annually for a medical check-up. If they fail the physical exam, they won’t be allowed to drive. Additionally, serious offenses like drunk driving will result in immediate license revocation—no exceptions. So, driving requires consistent adherence to the rules; the privilege isn’t something you earn once and keep forever.
We veteran drivers all know this little booklet has a lifespan. New drivers get the blue booklet valid for only six years, and must renew it when due. In my younger days, I upgraded to the brown booklet valid for ten years, and later to the permanent one upon expiry. But recently after turning seventy, the DMV notified me to submit annual medical reports - conditions like vascular sclerosis or cataracts could invalidate the license. Last physical exam took half a day in queue, my blood pressure almost failed. The kids say this is good policy, as road safety matters most. So a driver's license is a time-bound privilege that requires diligent maintenance for long-term use.
