The Minnesota State Legislature is currently meeting in special session to finish its business from the 2021 session and one key piece of legislation is going to impact Minnesota drivers.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year when many Minnesotans were told to stay at home and many businesses were forced to be closed, it created a backlog for those looking to renew their driver’s licenses or ID card. The Legislature passed a law that waived the photo and vision test for standard driver’s license and ID card renewals that had no address changes through June 30, 2021. With that deadline looming a week from Wednesday, it is expected the law will be allowed to expire.

Starting July 1, renewals for all standard driver’s licenses and ID cards will require a new photo and driver’s license renewals will require passing a vision test. Online renewals for licenses and ID cards will no longer be offered.

Those who have expiring licenses can still renew a standard license with no change of address and keep the current photo on or before June 30 at the outdoor window of the Wright County License Bureau if they don’t have an appointment, but, as of July 1, all renewals will need to be done at the Indoor Service Counter. Only duplicate licenses can be processed at the outdoor walk-up window after July 1. In addition, the online renewal option will be taken off the state’s Department of Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) website.

As always, the Wright County License Center opens up new appointment slots every other Friday. The next round of appointments (covering July 6-16) will become available at 8 a.m. Friday, June 25.