Seniors and Driving — California Permit Test Rules (Section 13)

Senior driving abilities

Safe driving depends on having adequate physical, visual, and mental abilities.
A senior driver may eventually need to cut back on driving or give it up, either for a while or for good.

Becoming lost in places you know well is a warning sign that a driver may be unsafe.
Dents and scrapes on the vehicle or on things like fences, mailboxes, or garage doors are a warning sign of an unsafe driver.
Having many near misses or crashes is a warning sign of an unsafe driver.

Senior drivers may choose to drive less at night or stop night driving altogether.
When a senior must drive at night, picking a route with good lighting is recommended.
Senior drivers may choose to drive at times of day when there is less traffic.
Senior drivers may choose to stay away from intersections that are hard to handle.
Senior drivers may choose to keep trips short or only drive to places they truly need to go.
Senior drivers may choose not to drive on freeways.
Senior drivers may consider adding an extra mirror on the right side of the vehicle.
The DMV offers a Driver Skills Self-Assessment Questionnaire for drivers to evaluate their own abilities.

A driver who is 70 or older when their license expires must renew the license in person.
A driver who is 70 or older when their license expires must pass a vision test to renew.
Drivers 70 or older renewing a license may sometimes have to take additional exams beyond the vision test.
If a knowledge test is required for renewal, the driver may be able to choose the "eLearning" option when applying online.

If no renewal notice arrives, you can fill out a Driver License or Identification Card Application online or at a DMV office.
The DMV mails a renewal notice to your address of record roughly 90 days before your driver's license expires.

The DMV Community Liaison's main job is to represent the public safety interests of all Californians, focusing especially on the concerns of senior and teen drivers.
The Community Liaison is not able to represent you at a DMV hearing or reexamination, but can give you helpful tools and information.
The Community Liaison can act as a go-between to help make sure drivers are treated fairly, according to laws and regulations, and with dignity and respect.
You can reach DMV Community Liaison and Outreach at (833) 493-0675 to learn about local outreach services or talk with a liaison.

Dementia in seniors creates a serious challenge for safe driving.
People whose dementia keeps getting worse will eventually be unable to drive safely.
Caregivers, doctors, and law enforcement often have the responsibility of stopping seniors with dementia from driving and setting up other ways for them to get around.

The Mature Driver Improvement Program covers various topics that are especially relevant to older drivers.
Completing the Mature Driver Improvement Program may qualify you for an insurance discount; give your insurer a copy of your completion certificate.
The Mature Driver Improvement Program completion certificate is good for three years.
You can renew the Mature Driver Improvement Program certificate by finishing another course that lasts four hours.
The Mature Driver Improvement Program is offered through providers approved by the DMV.
The Mature Driver Improvement Program is an eight-hour course open to drivers who are 55 or older.

People who are 62 or older can get a Senior ID card for free.
A driver of any age who can no longer drive safely because of a physical or mental condition may be able to trade in their driver's license for a free ID card.

Restated from the California Driver's Handbook, Section 13. Read the official text.