Waterford Today

Under legislation that passed the Michigan Senate, residents would be allowed to renew their driver’s licenses online or by mail for up to eight years, twice the current limit of four years.

This is an effort to help the residents of state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can improve safety and convenience for Michigan residents by allowing them to renew their driver’s licenses and state ID cards twice before having to come into a Secretary of State branch,” said Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly), former Michigan secretary of state and sponsor of the legislation, according to MiSenateGOP. “This proactive reform would also help struggling branch office staff, who are doing their best to keep up with the backlog of transactions caused by temporary branch closures and new safety protocols put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Sen. Ruth Johnson | #MiSenateGOP

Another bill, sponsored by Sen. Betty Jean Alexander (D-Detroit) makes the same changes for state personal identification cards.

“Currently, residents can renew their driver’s license or state ID card online or by mail once for a four-year term but must renew them in person every eight years at a Secretary of State branch office to get a new photograph,” MiSenateGOP said. “This would be pushed to 12 years under the proposed bills, the maximum allowed under new federal REAL ID requirements.”

Currently, Michigan residents are waiting months for services such as transferring a vehicle title or taking the exam for a commercial driver’s license, Johnson said.

“By reducing the number of people who need to come into the office simply for a license renewal, we can free up appointments for other types of transactions,” Johnson said, according to MiSenateGOP.

The legislation now goes to the Michigan House for consideration.

“These are bipartisan, commonsense reforms,” Alexander told MiSenateGOP. “This legislation would help ensure Michigan residents can get their needs met in a timely manner.”