Question: I moved a little less than a year ago, and it never occurred to me that I needed to change the address on my license. Nothing has happened so far, and it doesn’t expire for three more years. Can I just leave it as is? What is the penalty for not changing the address on my driving license?
Answer: You can get in trouble for failing to update the address on your driver’s license—and exactly how much trouble depends on various factors, including luck.
If you never get pulled over, then the odds are that nothing will happen, but you would still likely violate a state regulation. But if you are at a highway checkpoint or get pulled over for a potential infraction, you could face penalties depending on the state and how long you’ve lived there.
Since failing to update your driver’s license isn’t a major offense, an officer may let you off the hook with a verbal or written warning. You might simply receive a ticket and advice to update your license before your court date.
If you have a good driving record, the judge may reduce or waive the ticket if you update your license before court. But laws vary by state. In Florida for example, you may receive penalties similar to non-moving violations. In New York, you could get hit with a couple hundred dollars in fines or points on your license.
That’s because sometimes people choose not to update their address to dodge notices from the DMV or possible warrants that may have been issued in their name. If anything suspicious comes up on your record when they check your license, a ticket might not be the worst thing—you could also risk having your vehicle impounded or being arrested.
Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll receive more than a warning or small fine if your record is clean—but you should take immediate action to ensure you’re not at risk of penalty. It would be best to change your address with the DMV right away. Each state has different laws regarding how much time you have once you’ve moved to update your license address. In Texas, you have 30 days but in California you only have 10.
Possible fees
It is possible that a small fee will be associated with issuing you a new license with the updated address. In Nevada, the fee is only $3.25, and Oregon’s is only $5. Compared to the potential penalties, points or just general hassle of dealing with a wrong address situation it is safest to process your license address change once you’ve officially moved to the new location.
It also depends if you’re moving within the state you already live in or relocating to a new state. Generally speaking, the rules are more stringent and consequences are higher if you move across state lines. So if you’re packing up and moving to a new state, make sure contacting the DMV in the new state for proper ID is on your to-do list upon arrival. You’ll need to show proof of residency to do so.
Don’t forget to change the address on your auto insurance as well.
Kevin Berry is the Senior Director of Content at Jerry and has been working in the digital content space since 2011 across the car insurance/repair, personal finance, travel and sports industries. Prior to Jerry, Kevin was a content team lead at NerdWallet overseeing the Multimedia Production and Travel Rewards teams. Previously, he worked for NBC Sports, Comcast Cable and Nike. He has a Master`s Degree from Arkansas State and a Bachelor`s from Oregon State University.
Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle’s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
