Vision registry helps New York drivers renew licenses online

ALBANY — The New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently announced that it has reached nearly 1,400 participating providers in its Vision Registry program, which helps people speed up the renewal of their driver license without visiting a DMV office.

The Vision Registry helps New Yorkers find a location near them to take their vision test and have the results electronically transmitted to the DMV. After the provider enters an individual’s vision test results into the registry, usually within 24 hours of the test, New Yorkers can renew their driver license online at www.dmv.ny.gov saving them time and effort.

“Our Customer Service Initiatives, launched under Governor Cuomo’s direction a few years ago, have helped improve the way the DMV serves its customers,” said Deputy Commissioner Gregory Kline. “The innovative Vision Registry service helps New Yorkers renew their driver license online without having to make a trip to a DMV office. This is another example of the State's effort to make government more innovative, efficient and easier to use for the people it serves."

New York State requires driver license holders to pass a vision test when they receive their New York State license and to have their vision retested when they renew their license. To pass the vision test, individuals must have 20/40 vision in at least one eye with or without corrective lenses.

The Vision Registry program has been in place since April 2013. Although people can visit a DMV office to take their vision test, they can also use the DMV’s Vision Registry to find a location of a registered vision care provider. Many pharmacists and other vision care providers, some of whom may charge a fee, are enrolled in the registry and have authorization to submit an individual’s vision test results into the DMV database. Alternatively, people can bring a vision test form to their provider for completion and renew their license by mail or online. Once a person completes a vision test, they have one year to renew a license.

The DMV recently released a video that provides more details on its Vision Registry:

View DMV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nysdmv