At the end of September, the California Department of Motor Vehicles announced a change that benefits drivers 70-years-old and older whose licenses expire in 2024 and beyond.

These drivers will no longer be required to take a written knowledge test. This change was effective October 1. New drivers or those new to California will still have to take the test.

“All drivers have been required to take a written test once they turn 70 as a policy requirement and not a requirement of law,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon in the press release announcing the policy change. “We are eliminating the written knowledge test for those without traffic violations on their record to improve customer service.”

However, a renewal will still necessitate a visit to the local DMV office. That is where the vision exam will occur, and a photo taken for the new license. It is recommended that an appointment be made for this DMV visit.

Not all senior drivers will escape the test. Poor drivers, even those older than 70, will still be required to take the knowledge test. Poor drivers are those who meet the following criteria:

• Two or more accidents during the two years immediately preceding the expiration of the license.
• Three or more accidents during the three years immediately preceding the expiration of the license.
• A DUI suspension during the two years immediately preceding the expiration date of the license
• A violation point count greater than one within the two years immediately preceding the expiration date of the license.

If you need to take the test, DMV recommends choosing the online version. This will significantly reduce your time in the office.

Also available to test takers is the online DMV eLearning course.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, in 2022, California had 27.6 million drivers. Nearly 3.2 million were 70 years or older. Only 800,000 licensed drivers were under 20 years old.