Q: Carole Ottosen of Riverside asked if Department of Motor Vehicle rules for older adults renewing their driver’s licenses after Jan. 1 are changing. She asked if older people must take an in-person driving test when renewing their license.
A: The DMV does not require an on-the-road driving test for driver’s license renewal applicants past any certain age, spokesperson Ronald Ongtoaboc said. This is in the California Vehicle Code, in section 12814 (a), which says, “The age of a licensee, by itself, may not constitute evidence of a condition requiring an examination of the driving ability.”
The DMV can, however, restrict driving privileges for a driver of any age who demonstrates they are unsafe to operate a vehicle. Law enforcement agencies and members of the public can contact the DMV and ask the agency to reevaluate a person’s ability to drive safely if there is a concern. Learn more on the DMV’s “Potentially Unsafe Driver” page.
California drivers 70 and older are required to renew their license in person at a DMV office every five years. They must pay an application fee, take a vision test, have a new photo taken and provide a thumbprint. Those with poor driving records are also required to take a knowledge test. The renewal notice will indicate if taking the knowledge test is required.
New law
If you feel like you were misled about a car you bought from a dealership, this new law is for you. California car buyers will get more protections and more transparency around vehicle purchases next year, when this new law goes into effect Oct. 1, 2026. The law is called the California Combating Auto Retail Scams Act.
Car dealers face stricter requirements in their advertising, sales practices and how they sell or market add-on products. They won’t be able to misrepresent information about the sale, lease or financing. Advertising and price quotes will have to clearly display the vehicle’s total cost, and worthless add-ons are banned — like oil-change packages for EVs. Businesses must retain all records related to advertising, contracts and add-ons for at least two years, making it easier to monitor and fix misconduct.
Also, those buying a used car will have three days to return a car costing less than $50,000 if the car has had fewer than 400 miles added to the odometer since purchase and it hasn’t been damaged.
“Dealers are allowed to charge a restocking fee of 1.5% of the sale price, but this is capped at $600. If you’ve put above 250 miles on the car, they can also ding you a dollar per mile. However, a couple hundred bucks is a less painful lesson than having to make car payments on something you didn’t actually want,” Car and Driver says.
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995.
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