Yes, you need an eye exam to renew your license in Colorado. State law requires a vision check with every renewal, and the standard is 20/40 visual acuity in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses.1Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42 Section 42-2-118 – Renewal of License2COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Division of Motor Vehicles. Vision Examination Report DR 2402 How that exam happens depends on your age and whether you renew in person, online, or by mail.
The Vision Standard You Have to Meet
For an unrestricted license, Colorado requires 20/40 acuity or better in at least one eye, measured with or without glasses or contacts, plus a combined horizontal field of vision of at least 120 degrees. Drivers who are blind in one eye need a field of at least 60 degrees in the sighted eye.2COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Division of Motor Vehicles. Vision Examination Report DR 2402
Acuity between 20/50 and 20/70 doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but the DMV will likely add restrictions such as required corrective lenses or daylight-only driving. Vision worse than 20/70 triggers a closer review, and the DMV may ask for documentation from an eye care professional before deciding.
Renewing In Person
At a DMV office, a driver license technician gives you a basic eye exam on the spot. You don’t need paperwork from an outside eye doctor, and the screening is included in the $34 renewal fee.3Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. State DMV Fees It covers acuity and peripheral vision. Pass, and your renewal goes through. If you rely on glasses or contacts to reach 20/40, the DMV adds a corrective-lens restriction to your license.
Fail the screening and you can’t finish the renewal that day. The technician will send you to an optometrist or ophthalmologist, who evaluates your vision and fills out the Vision Examination Report (form DR 2402). You bring that form back to the DMV to continue the renewal.2COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Division of Motor Vehicles. Vision Examination Report DR 2402
Renewing Online or by Mail
Remote renewal doesn’t get you out of the vision requirement. If you’re under 80, you certify during the process that you’ve had an eye exam within the past year. If your vision has changed since your last renewal, such as newly needing glasses, you have to renew in person so the DMV can update your restrictions.4Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
The DMV can also request a completed DR 2402 for a remote renewal, especially when a driver has a history of vision-related issues. When the DMV sends that notice, the exam date on the form must fall after the date on the notice, or the form will be rejected.2COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Division of Motor Vehicles. Vision Examination Report DR 2402
Drivers Age 80 and Older
Colorado lets older drivers renew online or by mail, but the vision documentation is stricter. Instead of just certifying a recent exam, you upload a form signed by your optometrist or ophthalmologist confirming an eye exam within the six months before your renewal.4Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. Renew Your Colorado Driver License, Permit, or ID Card
If you’d rather renew in person, the technician gives the same basic screening every walk-in gets, and no additional form is needed.5Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. Mature Drivers For drivers with progressive conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma, the DMV may require vision reports between renewal cycles to confirm the driver still meets the standard.
What Happens If You Fail
Failing the screening isn’t the end of your license, but the clock starts. If the DMV issues a notice of cancellation, you have 20 days from that notice to pass an eye examination. Miss that window and the DMV cancels your driving privilege.6Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Re-Examination Medical Rule
The practical next step is a comprehensive exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If corrective lenses can bring you to 20/40 or better, you return to the DMV with the new prescription glasses or contacts, or with a completed DR 2402, and try again. If your vision can’t be corrected to meet the standard, the DMV may still issue a restricted license depending on how far off you are.
Restricted Licenses for Reduced Vision
Instead of denying a license to everyone who falls short of 20/40, Colorado often issues a restricted one. Common restrictions include:
- Corrective lenses required at all times while driving, marked as a “C” restriction. Driving without them is a citable offense.
- Daylight driving only, when vision is adequate in good lighting but not at night.
- Additional outside mirrors, for drivers with limited peripheral vision.
Drivers with conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration can ask for an individual review. That generally requires a report from an eye doctor covering the condition, its stability, and any corrective measures. The DMV decides case by case and may schedule follow-up reports to track changes.
Driving After a Denied Renewal
If a vision issue keeps your renewal from going through and your current license expires, you can’t legally keep driving on it. Colorado treats driving on a license expired one year or less as a class B traffic infraction, with a fine between $15 and $100.7Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42 Section 42-2-101 – Licenses for Drivers Required – Penalty – Definition8Colorado General Assembly. Penalties for Speeding Violations Repeat violations can bring higher penalties and possible suspension. If you’re in an accident while driving without a valid license, your insurer may deny the claim and leave you personally responsible for damages.