AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has officially released the 60-day notice that the COVID-related waiver of driver licenses (DLs) and IDs will end on April 14, 2021.
Therefore, DPS continues to urge customers to make an appointment online today or to extend it. The department initially announced to the public that the waiver would end two months ago.
In order to support customers with expired licenses who cannot make an appointment before April 14th, DPS has implemented a new procedure.
If a customer has an extension date that is after the deadline, they can apply for a temporary driver’s license that is valid until their appointment. More information about the new process can be found on the DPS website.
The expiry waiver originally granted by Governor Greg Abbott in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic applied to DLs, commercial DLs, commercial learning permits, ID cards, and electoral ID certificates that expired on or after March 13, 2020.
Renewing online remains a convenient option
Many Texans are eligible to skip the trip to the office entirely by renewing their DL / ID card or changing their address online at Texas.gov. Customers can also renew by calling 1-866-DL-RENEW (1-866-357-3639).
The online and phone renewal requirements and costs are the same as in-person transactions. (When you make an appointment, you will also be notified if you are eligible to renew online.)
Extended office hours
To support customers who need DL services in the office, designated high volume offices offer extended opening hours Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
make an appointment
Services in driver’s license offices are now only carried out by appointment. To make an appointment or check availability, visit the online scheduler.
If you can’t find an appointment in the office of your choice, check availability at that office or other locations nearby. Please check this often as availability changes.
If you cannot make your scheduled appointment, please plan it in advance or cancel it in advance. While the department works to serve as many customers as possible, people who fail to show up for their appointments continue to be a major barrier.
For example, in December 2020, approximately 31% of people (or more than 167,000 customers) were absent for their appointments.
The appointment system, which was introduced in May 2020, is intended to provide additional convenience and reduce the waiting time for Texans. Customers can book appointments for a specific day and time up to six months in advance and appear no more than 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
Customers can check in from the office kiosk or from their mobile device.
All offices offer one limited Number of appointments on the same day. These dates are available subject to availability. Customers who book these appointments can leave the DL office up to their specified time.
In addition, most offices offer customers without an appointment a place on a standby list. These customers have to wait in the office and are supported in case of cancellation or no-show.
The number of standby appointments available is limited to ensure that all customers on the list are served by the end of the day.
To ensure a safe environment, COVID-19 protocols have been implemented in DL offices.
