Students

First-time license

Per state law, you can start driver’s education as early as age 14-and-8-months and can apply for your first graduated driver's license at age 14-and-9-months.

• Drivers under 18: To apply for your first license, you will need to complete and pass the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, which includes driver’s education (Segments 1 and 2), three licensing levels, and supervised practice driving with a licensed adult.
• Drivers age 18+: Once you turn 18, you’re not required to take driver’s education to apply for a driver’s license. Instead, you will need to complete and pass a driver knowledge exam at a Secretary of State office and practice driving for 30 days with a licensed adult before contacting a driver testing business to complete and pass an driving skills test.

Regardless of your age, in most cases, you will only need to visit a Secretary of State once to provide all required documents and take a photo for your license.

The Michigan Department of State will mail you a corrected vertical driver’s license when you successfully complete GDL.

New drivers

Renewing your license or ID at 21

Driver’s licenses and IDs expire every 4 years. You’re required to visit a Secretary of State office to renew your license or ID in person to take a new photo when you turn 21.

• If you renew more that 50 days before your 21st birthday, your renewed license or ID will be vertically oriented.
• If you renew within 50 days of your 21st birthday, your renewed license or ID will be horizontally oriented and won’t arrive in the mail until after your birthday.

In most cases, you will only be required to renew your license or ID at a Secretary of State to take a new photo every 12 years after renewing in person at 21.

The next time you need to renew your license or ID, you may do so online, by mail, or at a self-service station.

Schedule an office visit

Renew license or ID

Changing your address

As a policy, the Michigan Department of State will send any necessary mail or correspondence to the residential address on your license/ID or registered address on your vehicle registration, if you have a vehicle that’s registered in Michigan.

If you’re moving or need to use a different a mailing address, update the address on your license, ID, vehicle registration, and/or voter registration, or add a mailing address online or by mail.

If you are a registered Michigan voter, updating your address on your license or ID will automatically update the address on your voter registration, and vice versa.

Change address

Visiting a Secretary of State office

Most Secretary of State services can be completed online or by mail, and many are available at self-service stations across the state. There are only a handful of transactions that require you to visit a Secretary of State office, including:

• Applying for your first license, ID, or permit
• Renewing your license or ID at 21, and (in most cases) every 12 years following, to take a new photo
• Converting a standard license or ID to REAL ID
• Applying for an enhanced license or ID
• Correcting your name or sex designation on your license or ID
• Transferring a vehicle title and registering a vehicle for the first time
• Transferring a vehicle license plate
• Completing a test

When you are required to visit a Secretary of State office it’s strongly recommended that you schedule a visit in advance. You can schedule a visit up to 6 months ahead of time or for the next business day.