I Can't Renew My Driver's License

First, determine the type of suspension or hold on your license.

  • To check if you have suspensions or owe reinstatement fees, go to www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license, scroll to the bottom of the page, and select “Suspensions & Reinstatements” or click here. Pick the topic that best applies to your circumstances.
    • Note: If you have had both a driver’s license and a state ID in the past, you will want to check both numbers.
  • You will see if you are ELIGIBLE or NOT ELIGIBLE for a driver’s license.

If you are NOT ELIGIBLE for a driver’s license, it means you either have to wait out the suspension or are indefinitely unable to get a license.

  • Suspensions making you not eligible are often a direct result of a criminal conviction involving drugs, for driving while intoxicated, for driving with an invalid license, driving without auto insurance (known as Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility) or getting too many tickets within a short period of time, among other things.
  • If you’ve already received such a suspension, you’ll likely need to wait it out before trying to get a license. However, you may be eligible for an Occupational Driver’s License that will allow you to drive to and from work and anywhere else the judge determines is necessary during the suspension period. Visit the section on Occupational Driver’s Licenses.
  • If your license was suspended for a drug-related conviction, there are two other necessary steps to get your license back.
  1. Complete the additional requirement of a Drug Education Course to get your license back. More information on registering for the course can be found here.
  2. There is also a six-month waiting period after your drug-related conviction. But to even start the clock, you must make DPS aware that you want a driver’s license. Call DPS customer service at 512-424-2600 to tell the customer service representative that you want to get a driver’s license. Ask if the six-month waiting period has already started and at what date it will end. If it has not, ask for them to start the 6-month waiting period so you can get your license back as soon as possible.
  • If your license was suspended for a second No Insurance (known as Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility), you will be required to purchase a special type of case insurance called SR-22 and provide evidence of it to DPS to get your license back.
  • Other reasons you are ineligible include if your license was revoked for medical reasons, out of state tickets and sex offender registry requirements, which are not addressed in this toolkit.

If you are ELIGIBLE for a driver’s license, there may be two more hurdles to overcome to get your license and drive legally.

1. Reinstatement fees: Even if you are eligible, you may still owe reinstatement fees that must be paid in order to get your license back.

  • State law does not allow for any waiver of reinstatement fees currently, even if you do not have the money to pay them.
  • You can pay online or through the mail.

2. OmniBase holds: When checking your eligibility, you may see this language: “You have outstanding citations under the Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay Program.” That means DPS is preventing you from renewing your license until you pay a traffic ticket or other fines and costs in criminal case.

Prior to September 1, 2019, you could also have your license suspended if you did not pay surcharges to DPS under the Driver Responsibility Program.

  • However, the DRP has been repealed as of September 1, 2019. This means all surcharges that were owed have been forgiven and all suspensions under this program lifted. The DRP no longer exists in Texas.
  • Unfortunately, any surcharges already paid – including those prepaid – will not be refunded after the DRP is gone.
  • For more questions on the DRP repeal, see here.