Pandemic Grace Period For Iowa Drivers License Renewal to End Soon

If your driver's license has expired during the pandemic, one nice thing about it is that an extended grace period has allowed it to remain valid. Walk-in license renewal in Iowa was suspended March 16 and they then began taking appointments. According to the Des Moines Register, the proclamation allowing the extension is likely to end soon.

They report that a proclamation update this week from Governor Kim Reynolds noted "Iowans should not expect the relaxed guidelines will extend past August 23."

If you're one of the 35,000 people with licenses that have expired in the last 60 days (the regular grace period for renewal) and more than 10,000 with expirations prior to that, you'll soon be hearing from the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Current available ways to renew your license are:

• Renew online, if eligible
• Schedule an appointment
• Those whose license expires within 90 days and need more time to schedule an in-person appointment can request a six-month extension by filling out a form on the Iowa DOT website. Even an appointment can take up to three weeks to book at this time, according to DOT spokesperson Melissa Gillett. Keep in mind that when you walk-in for a scheduled renewal appointment, you'll now have to wear a mask and take a health screening.
• Visit the self-service kiosk nearest you.

The requirement for anyone planning to board a plane or visit federal buildings to have the new government-issued REAL ID was set to take effect in October of 2020. That was moved to October 1, 2021, due to the pandemic and officials say that the target date is still on track.