Driver License Division: Frequently Asked Questions

Significant delays in scheduling driver license appointments are linked to two factors:  customer behavior and population growth in urban areas.

A major contributor to appointment delays is that many customers choose in-person visits even when their transactions can be completed online, by mail, or by phone.

• In Fiscal Year (FY) 25, over 14% of all customers scheduling an appointment did not need to do so. 

Significant delays in scheduling appointments are not uniform across the state.  The average appointment booking time statewide in FY25 was 15 days, but some offices, primarily in rapidly growing urban areas experience significantly longer scheduling delays.

• Seven offices have appointment booking times exceeding 45 days.  Six of these are in the fast-growing Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area or its suburbs.  The seventh is the small Meridian office, which operates two days per week based on county staff availability.
• Twenty-seven offices had average appointment booking times between 31 and 45 days, with 15 of these under 35 days.

The Texas Scheduler allows customers to book appointments up to six months in advance. If customers continue to choose in-person transactions over alternative methods, resources for driver license operations will need to increase to meet this demand.

A $1.00 Texas.gov fee applies to all transactions, whether completed online or in person.

Renewal notices are mailed to customers 180 days prior to their license or identification card expiration. Customers required to renew in person will receive the DR-5 notice, while those eligible for alternative renewal methods – such as online or by mail – will receive the DR-32 notice.

The 86th Legislature appropriated an additional 762 full-time positions, increasing the number of full-time positions to 2,906.  These newly hired employees were placed in the Mega Centers and overcrowded offices to help reduce the wait times.  While driver license offices continue to have capacity issues, wait times have improved. In addition to this, the Department implemented a new appointment solution (Texas Scheduler) that allows customers to schedule driver license services up to six months in advance. Customers have more flexibility to schedule an appointment based on their availability and the location of their choosing.  The Texas Scheduler helps minimize wait times and long lines, as customers only need to arrive a short time before their appointment.

The Mega Centers are located at: Carrollton, Corpus Christi, Dallas South, Edinburg, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston North, Houston Southeast, Leon Valley, Midland, Pflugerville, Rosenberg, Houston Gessner and Spring.

The Department reviewed data from the State Demographer that details where in Texas the highest growth is projected to be. The new locations needed are:

• San Antonio – Includes 42 workstations, 74 additional FTEs for a cost of $16.4M.
• South Austin/San Marcos – Includes 42 workstations, 71 additional FTEs for a cost of $15.8M.
• Houston/Katy – Includes 42 workstations, 95 additional FTEs for a cost of $20.8M.
• Temple – Includes 12 workstations, 37.5 additional FTEs for a cost of $8.6M.
• El Paso – Includes 42 workstations, 74.5 additional FTEs for a cost of $16.4M.
• Beaumont – Includes 24 workstations, 50 additional FTEs for a cost of $11.4M.
• Fort Worth – Includes 42 workstations, 67.5 additional FTEs for a cost of $15.1M.
• Wichita Falls – Includes 12 workstations, 28.5 additional FTEs for a cost of $6.6M.
• Abilene – Includes 12 workstations, 32.5 additional FTEs for a cost of $7.4M.
• Bowie & Cass Counties – Includes 12 workstations, 38 additional FTEs for a cost of $8.5M.
• El Paso – Includes 42 workstations, 61 additional FTEs for a cost of $13.7M.
• McAllen – Includes 24 workstations, 53 additional FTEs for a cost of $12M.
• Houston Northeast– Includes 42 workstations, 69 additional FTEs for a cost of $15.4M.

The Department identifies and recommends expansion areas bases on population growth trends.  The Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) then manages the solicitation and bidding process.  Together, both agencies select a location that aligns with operational needs, budget availability, and TFC’s procurement standards.

Since Driver License Improvement Plan (DLIP) funding began in 2012, a net total of 300 workstations were added to drive license offices statewide, along with 13 Mega Centers, 6 large offices and 66 office remodels/refreshes.

The Driver License Division currently has 235 offices throughout the state, ranging in size from 1 counter to over 40 counters in our Mega Centers.

As of December 1, 2025, the state had over 1,300 workstations spread among the 235 offices. With current staffing, only 918.5 of those can be manned at any given time. This leaves 219.5 workstations unmanned.

Commercial Driver License standards are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The federal rules ensure consistent safety standards nationwide for commercial vehicle operators.  While states have some limited ability to provide input on the regulations through organizations like the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA),  they must ultimately comply with federal requirements.

If Texas were to disregard these federal standards, FMCSA could:

• Decertify Texas’ CDL program, which would prohibit the state from issuing CDLs to its citizens.
• Withhold federal highway funds from the State of Texas.  This could affect nearly 775,000 valid CDL holders and cost the State of Texas up to 4% of the federal highway funds during the first year of non-compliance (estimated over $200M) and up to 8% during the second year of non-compliance (estimated over $400M).   These amounts were obtained from the Federal Highway Funds 2022 report, which shows Texas received almost $5.2B in federal highway funds.

FMCSA approved a modernized CDL Skills Test to better align with current vehicle technology and real-world driving conditions.  Effective September 1, 2024, the Department fully adopted these national standards across its testing locations.

The primary changes focus on the Vehicle Inspection and Basic Control Skills portions of the exam:

Vehicle Inspection

• Shorter and Focused:  The number of items an applicant must inspect has been reduced on safety-critical components.
• Checklist Allowed:  Applicants are permitted to use a blank checklist provided in the updated CDL manual as a memory aid during the test.
• Emphasis on Knowledge:  The test evaluates the applicant’s understanding of what they are inspecting and why it is important for safety.

Basic Control Skills

The “backing” portion of the test has been standardized into four required skills with a smaller test pad footprint that reflects modern driving.  The four modernized maneuvers are:

• Forward Stop
• Straight-Line Backing
• Forward Offset Tracking
• Reverse Offset Tracking

The final position of one maneuver often becomes the starting point of the next, improving efficiency. 

In addition to providing the CDL handbook that outlines the process and contains all relevant study materials, the Department has created a series of videos specifically for the Vehicle Inspection (Pre-trip). These videos are available on our website and have received almost two hundred thousand views since being published.

Vehicle Inspection (Pre-trip) Exam:

• Module 1 – Engine Start was published on February 7, 2018.
• Module 2 – School Bus Pre-Trip Inspection was published on May 8, 2018.
• Module 3 – Engine Components was published on August 13, 2018.
• Module 4 – The Exterior was published on August 13, 2018.
• Module 5 – The Axles was published on August 13, 2018.
• Module 6 – Coupling Systems was published on August 14, 2018.

The videos can be found at: Commercial Driver License (CDL) Instructional Videos

In Texas, there are three primary options for taking the CDL Skills Test.

• Driver License Office: Designated Texas CDL Skills Testing Locations
• Driver License CDL Mobile Teams:  Nine mobile CDL testing teams were established to provide services to customers outside of the 50-mile radius of fixed testing sites (approximately 6% of potential applicants).  Key customers for this mobile service are community colleges, school districts, education centers, fire departments, and other government organizations. Interested customers should contact their local Driver License Operations Manager to request services.
• Authorized Third-Party Skills Testing (TPST) Provider: As of August 2025, there are 187 authorized TPST providers. Applicants who are students or employees of these programs, have the option of testing at DPS or with their TPST provider.

School buses are considered commercial vehicles primarily due to their size, passenger capacity, and usage.  While they may not operate for typical ‘commercial profit’, the legal classification ensures a higher standard of safety, maintenance, and driver qualifications for public safety.

School bus drivers do not have to know how to ‘build an engine’. The extent of their ‘mechanical’ knowledge is limited to performing safety inspections and identifying potential issues.  School bus applicants should concentrate their study efforts on Sections 10 through Section 13 of the CDL Handbook.  Section 10 specifically covers school bus operations, with a strong emphasis on the safety and well-being of child passengers.

Section 11.3 outlines specific knowledge areas for school bus applicants related to: emergency equipment, lighting indicators, lights/reflectors, mirrors, the stop arm, passenger entry, emergency exit protocols, and seating requirements, and the ultimate goal of understanding each of these items is to ensure the safety of the child passengers.

Yes, the Texas Transportation Code allows DPS to partner with municipalities and counties to issue renewal and duplicate DL and ID cards. By participating in this program, the county or municipal government can impose a fee of up to $5 per transaction. Currently 11 jurisdictions are participating in this program.

The Driver License Division (DLD) has Disaster Response Units (DRU) that were first deployed as a pilot during the wildfires in Bastrop County in 2011. DLD has six DRU sets divided into three deployable units. When deployed, the DRU requires space, electricity and internet (WIFI) to be provided by the agency being supported. The units are normally employed by the local emergency manager at a Multi-Agency Resource Center.

These have been used at the following events: West Fertilizer Plant Explosion (2013), Austin Dove Spring Floods (2013), Wimberley/San Marcos Memorial Day Flood (2015), San Antonio Nursing Home Fire (2015), Eagle Pass Flood (2015), Dallas County Tornado (2015), Hurricane Harvey (2017), San Marcos Fire (2018), Lago Vista and Lake Travis Floods (2018), and La Feria, Sebastian, Elsa Floods (2019).

DRUs do not have a dedicated team. When deployed, they are staffed with employees from traditional driver license offices. Though they are typically used in disaster relief efforts, they could be deployed to provide additional driver license coverage in underserved areas.

In accordance with the Texas Transportation Code, DPS is legally authorized to disclose limited driver record information to qualified requestors. This process facilitates essential public safety, legal, and business functions while strictly governing who may access the data and how the data can be used.

Statutory Authorization for Disclosure 

• Personal and Status Data:  Includes date of birth, license status, and address (Section 521.045).
• Driving History:  Includes accident reports and conviction records (Section 521.046).
• Comprehensive Records:  Full histories, including driver education and traffic violations, are available exclusively to the individual license holder (Section 521.047).
• Bulk Records and CDL Information:  Provisions exist for disclosure of basic license holder information and Commercial Driver License (CDL) status (Sections 521.050 & 521.053).

Under Chapter 730 of the Transportation Code, records are only released to authorized entities for approved purposes, including:

• Governmental & Public Safety: Use by government agencies, toll authorities, or for motor vehicle safety and theft monitoring.
• Insurance & Business:  Use by insurance companies, private investigators, or license vehicle dealers/recyclers.
• Employment Verification:  Verification of driver information by employers, contractors, or nonprofit organizations for staff and volunteers.
• Research: Use in the production of statistical reports and academic research.

Note on Revenue:  Fees collected from driver record sale are not retained by the Department of Public Safety; instead, all proceeds are deposited directly into the Texas Mobility Fund.