As part of the statewide effort to stem the spread of COVID-19, the Texas Department of Public Safety has been granted the authority to extend the expiration dates on Texas identification cards, driver’s licenses, commercial driver’s licenses and election identification certificates for the duration of Gov. Greg Abbott’s declaration a state of disaster, according to a press release from Sheri Gipson, chief of DPS’ driver’s license division.
The DPS will consider a Texas-issued card with an expired date to be valid if the expiration date is on or after March 13 and if the expiration date is within 60 days of when the state of disaster is declared over, the statement notes.
The press release notes that this exemption applies only to the expiration date; a person not eligible to drive because of an “active enforcement action” such as a suspension, revocation or denial can use their card as identification only.
