How Soon Should You Renew Your ID and Registration After Moving

The list of places to update your address when you move is long and tedious, whether you’re heading to a new area or across the country. While some of these updates are important, they are not time sensitive, in fact, you have to notify your state Department of Motor Vehicles of the change of address in time, and the deadline is sooner than you think.

You may be tempted to leave your out-of-state driver’s license for sentimental reasons, or delay updating your vehicle registration to avoid paying taxes, or simply not find the time to go to the DMV (which requires a lot of paperwork and, in some states, additional testing). However, if you do not apply for a new license and registration when you move to a new state, or do not update your address to move to a new state, and you are caught, you may face a fine or license suspension.

How soon do I need to renew my license and registration?

Each state has different deadlines for updating your DMV address (if moving to a state) and applying for a new driver’s license and vehicle registration (if moving to a new state). This ranges anywhere from immediately in Michigan to within a year of your move to Wyoming.

Obviously you should check your state’s specific requirements , but there’s a good bet that you’ll need to update your in-state address within a week or two, and out-of-state information within a month or two. (College students, military personnel, and other temporary non-residents are generally exempt from the tax.)

Note that in most states, your vehicle registration and driver’s license must match , meaning you cannot have one state’s license while your vehicle is registered in another.

Will I really get caught?

May be. Of course, it is possible to live and drive in your new city or state for months or even years and no one will notice that your license and registration do not match where you live, and you can jump through hoops to continue renewing both in another state. But if you get pulled over or have an accident, you can raise some red flags and face penalties ranging from fines and fines to towing and confiscation of your vehicle.

An additional complication is your car insurance. You will definitely want to tell your insurance company that you have moved, as this may change your coverage. It is also possible that you will lose eligibility for your current company or policy when you move to a new state and you must have a state policy.

This can become a problem in the event of an accident, even if you have updated your insurance, but not your license and registration. States have even used vehicle insurance data to identify and penalize drivers who haven’t updated their registration to match where they live.

How to update your license and registration

Moving within a state is likely as simple as changing your address online through your state’s DMV website. You will not receive and need an updated physical license unless you contact the DMV with additional documentation.

For an out-of-state move, the process is more complicated and usually requires a trip to the DMV, a long list of documents (which may include your vehicle name, old license and registration, additional ID and proof of address), payment. taxes and fees, as well as passing an eye test.