Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Cringe at that trip to a licensing bureau every four years to re-up a driver’s license? A new option could be coming. 

In his newly proposed budget, Gov. Tim Walz recommended allowing online renewal for driver’s licenses — at least some of the time. 

Walz said the move would increase filing fee revenue, while making it more convenient for drivers.

“The next generation of Minnesotans is increasingly online and perform more and more transactions over the internet,” budget documents say about the proposal. “Online renewal is easy and convenient, and much faster than waiting in line.”

Under the governor’s proposal, Minnesotans would have the option of renewing driver’s licenses online every other four-year cycle. The administration said that would mean people would have to visit a Driver and Vehicle Services office in person once in eight years to get a new photograph and vision screening.

The administration said the plan would increase operating revenue by more than $2 million a year and that the extra money would be put in a reserve fund.

The Walz administration is making its case for the policy change because it says Minnesotans are looking for more convenient ways to interact with the Department of Public Safety. It notes that people can already use online options to renew their license plates.

The Walz administration says disabled Minnesotans would find it especially convenient to renew their license or ID remotely “instead of standing in line during the workday.”

Existing laws would need to be modified before DVS could move to online renewal. 

Politics and Government News

Transportation

Homepage

Mark Zdechlik

Author

In his newly proposed budget, Gov. Tim Walz suggests allowing online renewal for driver’s licenses. Walz said the move would increase filing fee revenue, while making it more convenient for drivers.

People waited in the lobby of the state Driver and Vehicle Services.

Renew your driver’s license from a browser? New Walz budget seeks online option

Go Deeper.

Like this?