The short version
- A Class R license costs $24 for four years or $47 for eight, online or in person. If it has expired, add a $1 late fee.
- You can renew up to six months early, and online until your license has been expired for a year.
- Online renewal is allowed every other time. If you renewed online last time, you’ll need to visit a driver license station.
Mississippi licenses are issued by the Driver Service Bureau (DSB), part of the Department of Public Safety (DPS). There’s no vision test at renewal, at any age, and an expired license can be renewed without a test for up to five years.
Not a standard renewal?
- New to Mississippi? You’ll transfer your old license instead. See our guide to transferring an out-of-state license to Mississippi.
- License suspended? You’ll have to reinstate it before you can renew. Our guide to reinstating a Mississippi license covers the steps.
- Lost your license? You need a duplicate, which costs $11 online or at a station. If your license expires within six months, you can renew it instead.
When You Can Renew a Mississippi License
You can renew any time within six months before your license expires, for a four-year or eight-year term. Non-U.S. citizens can renew only within 30 days of expiration, in person, with their immigration documents.
If Your License Has Expired: For up to a year after it expires, you can still renew online or at a station, with a $1 late fee. After that, you’ll have to renew in person.
Up to five years after expiration, you won’t need documents or a test. After five years, you’ll need your birth certificate, proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of Mississippi residency, and you’ll have to pass the written knowledge exam again. Either way, don’t drive until you’ve renewed.
What You Need to Renew in Mississippi
For Online Renewal: You can renew online if:
- You have a Class R or Class D light commercial license
- You’re a U.S. citizen
- Your last renewal was in person
- DSB has a valid photo of you on file
- Your license doesn’t have a Restriction D, which requires a re-examination
- The post office delivers to your home, since DSB doesn’t mail licenses to P.O. boxes
You’ll also need your license number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number, and a credit or debit card.
For In-Person Renewal: Bring your current license and payment. Stations take cash, debit or credit cards, but not personal checks. You’ll fill out a renewal application and have a new photo taken.
DSB suggests bringing your birth certificate, Social Security card and two proofs of residency too, in case its records aren’t complete.
For a REAL ID: A REAL ID-compliant Mississippi license has a gold star in the upper right corner. If yours doesn’t, renew at a station with a certified copy of your birth certificate, your Social Security card or another document showing your number, and two proofs of Mississippi residency. DSB doesn’t list a separate fee for the star.
How to Renew Your Mississippi License
Online
Renew through the DPS service on the state’s ms.gov portal. Enter your details exactly as they appear on your license, choose a four-year or eight-year term, and pay by card. Once you submit a renewal, you can’t cancel it.
Your new license is mailed to the address on your record, so update it first if you’ve moved. You can do that online, and our guide to a Mississippi change of address explains how. Name changes have to be done in person.
Skip look-alike sites that offer to renew for you, since they add their own service fee.
At a Driver License Station
DSB strongly recommends booking an appointment, and our guide to Mississippi DMV appointments explains how to schedule one.
By Mail, If You’re Out of State
Mail renewal is limited to two groups of Mississippi residents. You can renew within six months of expiration, and you’ll pay by certified check or money order made out to the Department of Public Safety. Send it to the DPS Office of Central Print, P.O. Box 1459, Canton, MS 39046.
College Students
Full-time students at out-of-state colleges send a photocopy of their student ID, a notarized letter on college letterhead confirming full-time enrollment and a photocopy of their license.
Military Members and Their Families
Service members stationed out of state, and their spouses and dependents, send a photocopy of their license, the first page of the military orders showing the current duty station and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Those whose licenses expire while they’re away can also renew within 90 days of discharge or returning home, without a late fee or test.
Mississippi License Renewal Fees
| License | Fee |
|---|---|
| Class R, four years | $24 |
| Class R, eight years | $47 |
| Class D light commercial, four or eight years | $29 or $57 |
| Late fee, if your license has expired | $1 |
| Online postage and handling | $1.50, plus a convenience fee based on the total |
| Duplicate license | $11 |
| Example: renewing an expired license in person for eight years | $48 ($47 renewal + $1 late fee) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for up to a year after it expires, with a $1 late fee, as long as your last renewal wasn’t online. After that, renew at a driver license station.
No. Online renewal is allowed every other time, so you’ll have to renew in person before you can use it again.
Five years. After that, you’ll have to pass the written knowledge exam again and bring your identity and residency documents.
No. Mississippi has no age-based renewal rules, and only first-time applicants and drivers transferring an out-of-state license take the vision test. If someone reports a concern about your driving, though, DSB can require a medical or vision evaluation.
It’s mailed to the home address on your record once DSB validates your renewal. If it doesn’t arrive, call DSB at 601-487-7028 with your license number ready.
By mail, if you’re a full-time college student or a military member, spouse or dependent. Otherwise, renew online, with the license mailed to your Mississippi address, or in person. If you’ve moved for good, get a license in your new state instead.
Conclusion
Renewing a Mississippi driver’s license costs $24 for four years or $47 for eight, and most drivers can renew online every other time, from six months before expiration to a year after. There’s no vision test at any age, and renewing late adds just $1. Wait more than five years, though, and you’ll need your documents and the written test. Students and service members out of state can renew by mail instead.
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