California eliminates written driving test for most people 70 and older renewing their license

By Cecilio Padilla

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — Californians 70 years old and above will no longer need to take the written driver test, the DMV announced this week.

As of Oct. 1, those older drivers whose licenses expire as of 2024 won’t need to take the written knowledge test. DMV officials noted that the requirement was a policy, not the law.

It’s all part of the DMV’s effort to streamline office visits.

“If thousands fewer people need to visit the DMV, or can spend less time in an office, the people who need to take care of their business in one of our offices can be better served,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon in a statement.

Drivers with poor driving records will still need to take the written test, the DMV says.

When do I need to make a DMV office visit?

The DMV says drivers 70 and older still need to make an office visit for a vision exam and updated photo when they renew their license.

People are urged to start their application online to streamline the process once they get to the DMV office.

A number of DMV services have moved to online, kiosk, phone, mail, or business partner only in recent years to try and reduce office wait-times. Simple vehicle registration renewals, certain vehicle registration or driver’s records, and replacing lost or stolen cards have all been moved online.

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