Colorado Driving Laws for Seniors and Older Drivers

More than 21% of all drivers in Colorado are 65 or older. As the state's senior population grows, so does the number of drivers over 65, up 10% from 2022 to 2023. And as the number of older drivers increases, so does the risk of age-related impairments that can affect driving ability.

To help keep older drivers and Colorado roadways safer, the state Department of Revenue's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) imposes some special requirements and restrictions on older drivers. Most focus on identifying and managing older drivers who've become unsafe. Specifically, the state:

• has special vision test requirements for some older drivers, and
• accepts written reports about potentially unsafe drivers from law enforcement, courts, physicians, and close relatives.

Colorado License Renewal Rules for Older Drivers

Colorado used to impose special license renewal rules for drivers 61 and older. In 2014, the state scrapped those rules and added new ones for drivers 80 and older.

How Often Must Older Colorado Drivers Renew Their Licenses?

Most Colorado drivers who are 21 and older, including those age 80 and older, have to renew their license every five years. You can renew your license any time before it expires and up to one year afterward.

All drivers can renew their licenses in person at a DMV office (but you'll need to make an appointment). Most adult drivers also have the option to renew by mail or online, as long as the photo the DMV has on file complies with Real ID photo requirements. (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-2-118(1.5)(a).)

You can check your eligibility to renew by mail or online using the DMV's online services.

Do Older Drivers Need a Vision Test to Renew Their Colorado License?

Everyone who renews a Colorado driver's license in person must pass a vision screening at the DMV. And you can only add or remove a corrective lens restriction by renewing at your local DMV office.

If you're renewing online or by mail and are between 21 and 79, you must confirm under penalty of law that you've had an eye exam within one year of renewal.

After age 80, you must submit a signed Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Statement form (DR 2498) confirming you had an eye exam in the last six months and including the results. The DMV must then review and approve the application for drivers 80 and older before renewal can be completed.

Do Older Colorado Drivers Have to Take a Driving Test at Renewal?

Colorado doesn't require older drivers to retake the written exam or driving test based on age alone. But the DMV can require a written and/or road test if there are indications of driver impairment, based on a report from:

• law enforcement
• DMV personnel
• the court
• a physician or physician's assistant
• an optometrist, or
• a family member.

The DMV will send written notice of any such report, and you'll have 20 days from the date of the notice to pass the required exams. If you fail the vision test or written exam, you'll lose your driving privileges. If you fail the road test, you can get a driver permit, and you'll have 60 days to retake and pass the test.

Possible License Restrictions for Colorado Seniors

Under Colorado law, the DMV can place restrictions, limitations, or special conditions on a driver's license whenever good cause exists. These restrictions allow you to continue to drive as long as you comply with the restriction.

The most common restriction for older drivers is the requirement to wear glasses or corrective contact lenses when driving. Anyone who must wear glasses or contacts to obtain 20/40 vision will generally have this restriction.

Other common requirements the DMV can impose on older drivers include:

• automatic transmission only
• daylight driving only
• vehicles with left-side rearview mirror(s) only, or
• only vehicles equipped with hand controls.

How to Request an Unsafe Driver Investigation in Colorado

The Colorado DMV will accept requests to examine or re-examine a driver who might not be competent for medical reasons.

Who Can Request a Driver Investigation in Colorado?

Any of the following parties can submit a written re-examination request to the DMV:

• law enforcement personnel
• the courts (usually after a court determines that a person isn't mentally competent)
• medical professionals, including physicians, physician's assistants, or optometrists, and
• close relatives, including the driver's spouse, parent, or child.

The request must include the reason for the re-exam or medical requirement and can't be based solely on age. You can learn more about reporting a family member or file a report by emailing: [email protected].

A re-examination request must include the requester's full name, address, and relationship to the driver. The DMV doesn't accept anonymous reports.

Can You Find Out Who Reported You to the Colorado DMV?

Any driver required to submit to re-examination can find out who made the request. All you need to do to learn who reported you is to request the record and pay the applicable fee ($2.20).

Medical Risk Reporting Requirements for Doctors in Colorado

Colorado physicians are encouraged, but not required, to report to the DMV patients with conditions that might affect their ability to drive safely. That includes conditions that cause:

• lapses of consciousness
• seizures, or
• other symptoms that affect the ability to drive safely.

How to Get a Colorado Driver's License Reinstated

Colorado has a process to reinstate a driver's license that has been revoked, suspended, or canceled. Once the condition for which you lost your driving privileges has ended or been satisfied, you can apply to get your license back.

Learn more about how to get your driver's license back at dmv.colorado.gov or by contacting one of the driver's license offices located throughout the state.

Parking Placards or License Plates for a Driver with a Disability

The DMV will issue parking placards and license plates to drivers with impaired mobility if a licensed medical professional verifies the condition. (Col. Rev. Stat. § 42-3-204.) Permanent disability parking placards and plates are available for those who:

• can't walk more than 200 feet without stopping to rest
• can't move about without help from another person or the aid of a mechanical device, such as:
• a cane or crutch
• a brace or prosthetic device, or
• a wheelchair or other assistive device
• have a severe lung disease
• use portable oxygen
• have a severe heart condition, or
• have a severely limited ability to walk due to:
• an arthritic condition
• a neurological condition, or
• an orthopedic condition.

The DMV also issues temporary parking placards to those with temporary disabilities.

Where Can You Park With a Disabled Placard or License Plate?

The parking placard or plate entitles you to park in any space marked with the International Symbol of Access. But doesn't exempt you from parking fees.

Some people with disabilities also qualify for a "remuneration-exempt" placard that entitles them to park free at parking meters. To qualify, your disability must limit your:

• fine motor control in both hands
• ability to reach a height of 48 inches from the ground (due to lack of finger, hand, or upper extremity strength or mobility), or
• ability to reach or access a parking meter (because of the use of a wheelchair or other ambulatory device).

How to Get a Disabled Placard or License Plate

To get a disabled placard or plate, you must take the following steps:

• Complete and sign a "Persons with Disabilities Parking Privileges Application" (form DR 2219).
• Have the center of the form completed by a licensed medical professional who is:
• a physician
• a commissioned medical officer
• an advanced practice nurse
• a physician assistant
• a podiatrist
• a chiropractor (90-day placards only), or
• a physical therapist (90-day placards only)
• Mail the original application to the address on the form.

Learn More About Colorado Driving Rules for Seniors

The DMV's Driver Services website has a wealth of information for Colorado drivers, including current information on licensing and titling. Of special interest is the Driver Education page, where you can download the Colorado Driver Handbook in English or Spanish or access it as an audiobook.