How to renew your Florida driver's license in Miami
In Florida, you renew your driver's license through the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). In the Miami area, you can renew in person at a local DHSMV office, by mail, or online — depending on your license type and how much time is left before it expires. Most people in Miami can renew online or by mail without visiting an office, which saves a trip.
Your renewal notice arrives in the mail about 6 weeks before your license expires. That notice tells you which renewal method you're allowed to use. If you've had no suspensions, revocations, or medical issues reported to DHSMV, you'll usually see the online or mail option available to you.
The cost is $75 for an 8-year renewal (the standard length in Florida). If you renew online or by mail, you'll pay by credit card or check. If you go in person, you can pay by cash, check, or card.
Key Takeaways
- Florida sends you a renewal notice 6 weeks before expiration that tells you which method you can use — online, by mail, or in person.
- Most Miami drivers can renew online at GoRenew.com or by mail without visiting an DHSMV office.
- An 8-year renewal costs $75 and takes about 7 to 10 business days by mail or 1 to 2 weeks online.
- If you need to renew in person, DHSMV offices in Miami-Dade County require you to make an appointment through their website or by phone.
- You cannot renew if your license is suspended, revoked, or if you have an outstanding medical issue on file with DHSMV.
Renewing online through GoRenew
The fastest way to renew in Miami is online at GoRenew.com, Florida's official renewal portal. You'll need your current driver's license number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and a valid credit card. The whole process takes about 10 minutes.
After you submit, DHSMV mails your new license to the address on file. It usually arrives within 1 to 2 weeks. Your old license stays valid until the new one arrives, so you can keep driving without interruption.
You can renew online only if your renewal notice says you're allowed to. You cannot renew online if you're over 79 years old, if your address has changed, if you need to correct your name, or if you have any suspensions or medical holds on your record.
Renewing by mail from Miami
If you prefer not to go online, you can renew by mail. Fill out the renewal form that came with your notice, sign it, and mail it with a check or money order for $75 to the address printed on the form. Include a copy of your current license if the form asks for one.
Mail renewal takes about 7 to 10 business days once DHSMV receives your envelope. Send it early — don't wait until the week before your license expires. If your mail gets delayed, you could end up driving with an expired license.
Like online renewal, you can only renew by mail if your renewal notice permits it. The same restrictions explore: no address changes, no name corrections, no suspensions or medical holds.
Renewing in person at a Miami DHSMV office
If you need to renew in person — because your renewal notice doesn't offer online or mail, or because you need to update your address or name — you'll visit a DHSMV office in Miami-Dade County. The main locations are the Miami-Dade Regional Service Center on NW 24th Street and the Wynwood office on NW 24th Street.
You must make an appointment before you go. Visit the DHSMV website at flhsmv.gov, click "Make an Appointment," and choose your location and time. Walk-ins are not accepted. Bring your current license, proof of residency (a recent utility bill or lease), and your Social Security card or a document with your SSN on it.
Appointments are usually available within a few days. The visit itself takes 15 to 30 minutes. You'll pay $75 at the counter, and your new license is printed on the spot. You can drive home with it when ready.
When you cannot renew online or by mail
DHSMV will not let you renew online or by mail if your license is under suspension, revoked, or if you have a medical condition flagged on your record. You also cannot use those methods if you're over 79, if you need to change your address or legal name, or if you're renewing a commercial driver's license (CDL).
In any of these cases, you must renew in person at a DHSMV office. Make an appointment through flhsmv.gov. Bring the same documents you would for a standard in-person renewal, plus any documents related to your situation — for example, if your suspension was lifted, bring proof from the court or the agency that lifted it.
If your license is suspended or revoked, contact DHSMV before you go in. Call 1-844-435-5287 to find out what you need to do to clear the hold. You may need to pay a fine, complete a course, or provide other documentation before you can renew.
What happens if your license expires before you renew
If your license expires and you haven't renewed yet, you're driving with an expired license. Florida law allows a grace period of up to 6 months after expiration if you're renewing for the first time after expiration, but it's better not to let it lapse. A police officer can stop you and cite you for driving with an expired license.
If your license has been expired for more than 6 months, you may have to take the written test and road test again instead of straightforward renewing. To avoid this, renew before your expiration date or within the grace period.
You can still renew online or by mail even if your license is expired, as long as your renewal notice says you can. The process is the same.
Renewing a commercial driver's license (CDL) in Miami
If you hold a commercial driver's license, you cannot renew online or by mail. You must renew in person at a DHSMV office. Make an appointment at flhsmv.gov and bring your current CDL, proof of residency, your Social Security card, and any medical certification documents if your CDL requires them.
CDL renewals cost $75 for an 8-year license, the same as a regular license. The appointment takes 20 to 40 minutes. You'll receive your new CDL on the spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I renew my Florida license if I've moved out of state?
No. If you've moved out of Florida, you need to get a license from your new state instead. You cannot renew a Florida license if you no longer live in Florida. Contact your new state's DMV to find out how to get a license there.
What if I lost my renewal notice?
You can still renew. Go to flhsmv.gov and use the "Check License Status" tool with your license number and SSN to see which renewal methods are available to you. If you can renew online, go to GoRenew.com. If you need to renew by mail or in person, call 1-844-435-5287 and ask them to mail you a renewal form.
How long does a renewed Florida license take to arrive in the mail?
By mail renewal takes 7 to 10 business days after DHSMV receives your envelope. Online renewal takes 1 to 2 weeks. Your old license stays valid until the new one arrives, so you can keep driving.
Can I renew my license if I have an outstanding traffic ticket?
Yes. An unpaid traffic ticket does not stop you from renewing your license. However, if you have a suspension related to the ticket — for example, a suspension for unpaid fines — you cannot renew until the suspension is lifted. Contact the court that issued the ticket to find out how to clear it.
What if my name has changed since I got my current license?
You cannot renew online or by mail if your name has changed. You must renew in person at a DHSMV office. Bring your current license, proof of your name change (a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order), proof of residency, and your Social Security card. The renewal costs $75 and takes 20 to 30 minutes.