Nevada Laws for Senior Drivers - 15 Questions Answered

Q: How often do I have to renew?

If you are 65 or older, you must renew your Nevada licenses every four (4) years. Note that four years used to be the normal renewal requirement for drivers of all ages; but since 2018, younger drivers have been able to get Nevada licenses for eight (8) years.

Q: Can licenses be renewed online?

If you are 71 or older, you may never renew your Nevada licenses online. Younger drivers may be able to, depending on when they last renewed their license.

Nevada does not have a maximum age for maintaining a driver’s license. However, drivers 65 and older must renew their license every four years (rather than the standard eight years for younger drivers). Beyond that, the DMV can revoke your license altogether because of dementia, blindness, physical incapacity, or impairments from medications, no matter your age.

In this article, our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys discuss:

Elderly drivers flashing their license in a car.

The youngest, most inexperienced motorists are more likely to have accidents than elderly drivers, according to the Foundation for Traffic Safety (FTS).

1. Can I get a driver’s license in Nevada if I am 65+?

Yes. There is no age limit for Nevada driver’s licenses. Nevada only restricts licenses based on

physical incapacity and
driving record.¹

2. How often do I have to renew?

If you are 65 or older, you must renew your Nevada license every four (4) years. Note that four years used to be the normal renewal requirement for drivers of all ages; but since 2018, younger drivers have been able to get Nevada licenses for eight (8) years.²

3. Can licenses be renewed online?

If you are 71 or older, you may never renew your Nevada license online. Otherwise, you may be able to renew online, depending on when you last renewed your license.

Regardless of age, you must renew in person at least once every eight (8) years. So if you are holding a license valid for four years (and you are younger than 71), you should be able to renew online every alternate four years:

If you last renewed in person, then in four years you should be able to renew online; and
if you last renewed online, then in four years you will be required to renew in person.³

4. Can licenses be renewed by mail?

It depends on your age. Recall that you must renew your license in person at least once every eight (8) years in Nevada, though if you are 65 or older, you are eligible only for four-year licenses.

If you are 70 or younger and hold a four-year license, you may renew by mail every alternate four years. Therefore:

if you last renewed in person, then in four years you should be able to renew by mail; and
if you last renewed by mail, then in four years you will be required to renew in person.

If you are 71 or older in Nevada, you may also renew your licenses by mail every alternate four years if you also submit the following:

a vision-screening report (official form: Nevada DMV Eye Exam Certificate), and
a doctor’s note signing off your driving ability

Otherwise, if you are 71 or older, you must renew in person at a Nevada DMV.⁴

5. Can licenses be renewed in person?

Yes. You are always allowed to renew in person in Nevada. In fact, you must renew in person at least once every eight (8) years.

During these in-person renewals, the DMV will administer an eye exam and may require that you take a written and/or road test upon suspicion that you are impaired.⁵

6. How can I lose my driving privileges?

Nevada may revoke your driving privileges if you are suffering from a medical condition that impairs your ability to drive safely. Such conditions include:

blindness or any visual impairment that cannot be corrected with lenses
dementia
diminishing physical ability
impairment from medications

Being a senior citizen in itself is not a ground for losing your license.⁶

7. How can someone request an unsafe driver investigation in Nevada?

Concerned family members should submit the Nevada DMV request for Re-Evaluation (DLD23A) along with a doctor’s affidavit that you require re-evaluation. In this form, you disclose the person’s ID and why you believe they need to be evaluated (such as due to a recent accident or diagnosis).

The signature on this application for reevaluation has to be witnessed by either a:

notary or
DMV representative (who does not charge a fee for witnessing the signature).

Note that concerned police may request that you be re-examined for driving privileges. Plus any Nevada DMV representative who has “good cause to believe” that you are too incapacitated to drive can order a Nevada DMV Confidential Physician’s Report on you.⁷

8. How can I get my license reinstated?

The requirements for possibly getting a revoked or suspended Nevada driver’s license reinstated depend on the specifics of your circumstances.

Consult with an attorney and refer to the Nevada DMV article on License Suspensions & Revocations and Nevada DMV Driver’s Handbook.⁸

Older person taking an eye exam for a driver's license renewal.

Deadly car crashes are more likely for elderly motorists than for drivers aged 25 to 54, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

9. Are vision tests a requirement?

If you are 71 or older, you must get vision tests in order to renew your Nevada license. Should you renew in person at the DMV, the clerk will administer the eye exam.

If you are eligible to renew by mail, you must submit a:

Nevada DMV Eye Exam Certificate and
doctor’s note with your renewal application.

If you are 70 or younger, you only need to get vision tests when you renew your Nevada licenses in person at the DMV. The DMV clerk administers the eye exam. (All Nevada drivers are required to renew in person every eight years.)

Note that vision tests may be required at any time at the DMV’s discretion.⁹

10. Does the DMV require road tests?

Road tests are necessary in Nevada if you are getting your license for the first time. However, DMV officials may also order you to take the road test if they believe you may be incapable of driving safely due to medical or driving history.¹⁰

11. Does the DMV require written tests?

Written tests are a requirement in Nevada if you are getting your license for the first time. However, DMV officials may also order you to take a written test if they believe you may be incapable of driving safely due to medical or driving history.¹¹

12. What restrictions does the DMV place on elderly drivers?

No matter your age, you may face restrictions depending on your physical ability, medical history or driving record. The most usual restriction is that you correct your imperfect vision by wearing contact lenses or glasses while operating a vehicle. Other possible restrictions include:

prohibition on highway driving
requirement that your vehicles have automatic transmission
requirement for an additional right-side mirror
requirement for your vehicle to have a left-foot accelerator
requirement to drive only with a prosthetic
prohibition against nighttime driving
prohibition against driving over 45 mph
requirement to wear a telescopic lens

Furthermore, the Nevada DMV may require that you submit to a vision test, driving test or medical test every six months or every year as a condition of keeping your license.¹²

13. How do I get disability plates and placards?

You can get disability plates and placards in Nevada if your doctor signs off on your impaired mobility, no matter your age. The DMV typically grants disability plates and placards for the following conditions:

inability to walk 200 feet without needing to rest
inability to walk without assistance
severe heart problems
severe lung problems
requirement of portable oxygen

You must complete the Nevada Disabled Persons License Plates and/or Placards Application along with your physician. If you are a first-time applicant, you must apply in person at a local DMV office and bring your vehicle registration and proof of insurance.¹³

14. Is driving without a license a crime in Nevada?

Driving without a license or on a suspended license in Nevada is a crime at any age. Both driving on a suspended license (NRS 483.560) and driving without a license (NRS 483.230) are misdemeanors, carrying:

Up to 6 months in jail, and/or
Up to $1,000 in fines

For a first-time offense, judges typically do not demand incarceration.¹⁴

15. What if I cause an accident?

Following an accident, it is common for the involved parties to sue each other for negligence for allegedly failing to drive safely. In Nevada, you can recover damages as long as you were no more than 50% liable.¹⁵

The important thing is never to admit fault. The majority of the fault may lie with the other driver or other factors (such as bad roads). An experienced personal injury attorney can help reconstruct what really happened.

Depending on the case, you may be eligible for substantial monetary damages to pay for:

medical bills,
property damage,
lost wages, and
pain and suffering.

Note that being elderly only slightly increases your risk of an accident according to the CDC. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that teenage drivers’ rate of fatal crashes is nearly triple that of adult drivers.¹⁶

Additional Resources

For information on maintaining your mobility in Las Vegas or elsewhere in Nevada, refer to the following:

Senior Rides – Nevada 2-1-1 programs that offer door-to-door transportation to seniors for doctor’s appointments, shopping, banking, etc.
Services for Senior Citizens – Transportation services that the RTC (Regional Transportation Commission) provides seniors
Taxi Assistance Program (TAP) – A government program to help transport people 60 and over in Clark County
Senior Citizen Transportation Program – Shuttle rides provided by Helping Hands of Vegas Valley
Senior Vision: Over 60 Years of Age – Information by the American Optometric Association on how to maintain healthy vision

Legal References

See Nevada Official Driver Handbook.
NAC 483.430; NAC 483.043; NAC 483.832.
See notes 1 and 2.
Same. NAC 483.084.
See note 1.
See NAC 483.370.
DLD-7 (1/2023).
See note 1.
Same.
Same.
First Nevada License or ID, Nevada DMV.
See note 1.
SP-27 (2/2023).
NRS 483.560. NRS 483.230.
NRS 41.141.
Fatality Facts 2021 Teenagers, IIHS. Older Adult Drivers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Nevada Laws for Senior Drivers – 15 Questions Answered