Louisiana lets you renew online if your license is not suspended and you meet a few other conditions
You can renew your Louisiana driver's license online through the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) website if your license is still valid or expired no more than one year ago, you have no medical suspensions, and you are not required to take a new photo or vision test. The process takes about 10 minutes and costs $27.50 for a four-year renewal or $37.50 for an eight-year renewal. You will need a valid email address, your Social Security number, and a debit or credit card to pay the fee.
If your license is suspended, you have had a name change, or you need a new photo, you must renew in person at an OMV office instead. The same applies if your license expired more than one year ago — Louisiana treats very old licenses as new applications, which require an in-person visit and a written test.
Key Takeaways
- Online renewal works only if your license expired within the last year, you have no active suspensions, and you do not need a new photo or vision screening.
- The online renewal fee is $27.50 for four years or $37.50 for eight years, paid by debit or credit card during the process.
- You will receive your renewed license by mail within 7 to 10 business days after your process is processed.
- If your license is suspended for any reason — unpaid tickets, child support, medical issues — you cannot renew online and must visit an OMV office in person.
- Louisiana requires you to renew in person if you have changed your name, need a new photo, or your license has been expired for more than one year.
Step-by-step process for renewing online
Go to the Louisiana OMV website and select "Renew License Online" from the main menu. You will be asked to enter your driver's license number, date of birth, and Social Security number. The system will pull up your current record and confirm whether you are may be able to access to renew online. This check takes less than a minute.
If you are may be able to access, you will move to the renewal form. Review your personal information — name, address, height, eye color — and update anything that has changed. You cannot change your address online if you have moved out of state; that requires an in-person visit. Once you confirm your information is correct, you will pay the renewal fee by debit or credit card. Louisiana does not accept PayPal or other payment methods online.
After payment is processed, you will receive a confirmation number by email. Save this number. Your new license will be mailed to the address on file within 7 to 10 business days. You can continue to drive on your current license until the new one arrives.
Who cannot renew online and what to do instead
You must renew in person if your license is suspended for any reason. Suspensions in Louisiana include those for unpaid traffic fines, failure to pay child support, medical conditions reported by a doctor, or DUI-related holds. You cannot override a suspension online, and attempting to renew while suspended will result in a rejection and may trigger additional penalties.
You also cannot renew online if you have changed your name since your last license was issued. Name changes require proof — a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order — and must be verified in person. The same applies if you need a new photo because your current one is damaged, you look significantly different, or Louisiana's system flags your photo as outdated.
If your license expired more than one year ago, Louisiana treats it as a new process rather than a renewal. You will need to visit an OMV office, pass a written test, and pay the full new-license fee. This typically costs more than a renewal and takes longer to process.
What happens if the online system says you are not may be able to access
The OMV website will tell you why you cannot renew online — usually because of a suspension, an expired-too-long license, or a medical flag. Read the message carefully. If it mentions a suspension, you can check the reason by calling the OMV at 225-925-6146 or visiting the OMV website's "Check License Status" tool.
If the suspension is for unpaid fines, you will need to pay them before you can renew. If it is for child support, contact the Louisiana Department of Revenue to resolve the arrears. If it is medical, you may need a doctor's clearance before the suspension is lifted. Once the underlying issue is resolved, you can try the online renewal again — usually within one to three business days.
If the system says your license is too old to renew online but you believe it expired less than a year ago, bring your license to an OMV office and ask them to check the expiration date in their system. Sometimes dates are recorded differently than they appear on the card.
Delivery time and what to do if your license does not arrive
Louisiana OMV mails renewed licenses from a central processing facility, not from local offices. Standard delivery takes 7 to 10 business days after your process is processed. Processing itself usually takes 1 to 2 business days, so you should expect your new license within 10 to 12 days of completing the online renewal.
If you do not receive your license within 15 business days, contact the OMV at 225-925-6146 with your confirmation number. They can check whether the license was mailed and provide a tracking status. If it was lost in the mail, they can reissue it. There is no fee for a replacement if the original was lost by the postal service.
While you wait, you can drive legally on your current license. Louisiana does not issue temporary licenses for online renewals, but your old license remains valid until the new one arrives and you set up it.
Fees, payment methods, and what is included in your renewal
A four-year renewal costs $27.50 and an eight-year renewal costs $37.50. These are the only two options available for online renewal. You cannot choose a one-year or two-year renewal online; those require an in-person visit. Payment must be made by debit card or credit card — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are accepted. Louisiana does not accept checks, money orders, or cash online.
Your renewal fee covers the new license card and mailing. It does not include any endorsements, restrictions, or special designations. If you need to add a REAL ID star to your license, you cannot do that online — REAL ID requires proof of citizenship and residency, which must be shown in person at an OMV office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I renew my license online if it is suspended for a DUI?
No. Any suspension, including those for DUI, disqualifies you from online renewal. You must visit an OMV office in person. Before you go, contact the OMV or the court handling your case to find out what steps are needed to lift the suspension — you may need to complete a DUI program, pay fines, or provide proof of insurance.
What if I moved to another state after my license was issued?
You cannot update an out-of-state address online. You must visit an OMV office in person to renew. Bring proof of your new address — a utility bill, lease, or bank statement — and your current Louisiana license. The OMV will issue a new license with your updated address.
Can I renew online if my license has been expired for two years?
No. Louisiana only allows online renewal if your license expired within the last year. If it has been expired longer, you must renew in person and will be treated as a new applicant, which means taking a written test and paying a higher fee.
Do I need to take a vision test to renew online?
Not for a standard online renewal. However, if the OMV system flags your record as requiring a vision screening — usually because you are over a certain age or have a medical condition — you will be told during the may be able to access check that you must renew in person instead.
What if I entered the wrong information during my online renewal?
Contact the OMV when ready at 225-925-6146 with your confirmation number. If your process has not yet been processed, they may be able to correct it. If it has already been processed and mailed, you will need to visit an OMV office to request a corrected license. There may be a fee for this correction.