§ 2715 — Driver license renewal cycle; fees; photograph [For application of this section, see 85 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 15]

(a) Upon receipt of the application and a fee of $50 and after such examination as provided in this chapter, the Secretary may issue, at the Secretary’s discretion, a motor vehicle driver’s license which shall expire and be renewable on the eighth anniversary date of the birth of the applicant next following the date of its issuance unless the birth date is February 29, in which event the license shall expire and be renewable on February 28 every eighth year. A permanent resident foreign national may be issued a full 8-year driver’s license. However, a driver’s license issued to a temporary foreign national must be limited to the period of time that the temporary foreign national is authorized to be in the United States.

(b) Upon receipt of the application and a fee of $20 and after such examination as provided in this chapter, the Secretary may issue, at the Secretary’s discretion, a driving privilege card issued in accordance with § 2711 of this title, which shall expire and be renewable on the fourth anniversary date of the birth of the applicant next following the date of its issuance unless the birth date is February 29, in which event the driving privilege card shall expire and be renewable on February 28 every fourth year.

(c) On or near the date of expiration of a motor vehicle driver’s license, each licensee shall appear at 1 of the Department’s offices and be photographed by the Department of Transportation. Upon approval by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, in the Director’s discretion, the requirement for this appearance may be waived if circumstances prevent the licensee from appearing on or near the time of renewal.

(d) A late fee of $10 shall be assessed in addition to the renewal fee for every person whose driver’s license has expired.

(e) Notwithstanding subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, the Secretary may issue driver licenses for less than 8 years until December 12, 2016, so the number of renewals can be more evenly distributed over an 8-year period. If a driver license is issued for less than 8 years pursuant to this section, the fee shall be calculated at $5.00 per year.

(f) Notwithstanding the length of issuance and fees as stated in this section, the length of issuance and fees for commercial motor vehicle driver’s licenses as required in Chapter 26 of this title shall be as required in § 2611 of this title.

(g) An individual who presents a valid, unexpired, Delaware personal credential card, issued under § 8915 of Title 29, is exempt from any fee charged under this section for a replacement license.

(h) An applicant is not required to pay a fee required by this section if the applicant is a child in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families or meets the requirements under § 9011A(g) of Title 29.

Legislative History

36 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 57 ; Code 1935, § 5595; 48 Del. Laws, c. 238, § 2 ; 21 Del. C. 1953, § 2713; 49 Del. Laws, c. 361, § 1 ; 57 Del. Laws, c. 218 ; 57 Del. Laws, c. 670, §§ 11A, 11C ; 61 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 1 ; 65 Del. Laws, c. 77, § 3 ; 65 Del. Laws, c. 329, § 1 ; 67 Del. Laws, c. 157, § 6 ; 67 Del. Laws, c. 260, § 1 ; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1 ; 74 Del. Laws, c. 110, § 59 ; 75 Del. Laws, c. 183, § 2 ; 76 Del. Laws, c. 76, §§ 22, 23 ; 76 Del. Laws, c. 126, § 1 ; 78 Del. Laws, c. 8, §§ 12-15 ; 80 Del. Laws, c. 77, § 3 ; 80 Del. Laws, c. 67, § 2 ; 81 Del. Laws, c. 447, § 3 ; 83 Del. Laws, c. 453, §§ 6, 11 ; 84 Del. Laws, c. 233, § 47 ; 84 Del. Laws, c. 345, § 1 ; 85 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 6