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Johnson, Vainieri Huttle, Quijano & Holley Bill to Make Driver’s Licenses Expire on Motorists’ Birthdays Heads to Gov’s Desk

Measure Aimed at Reducing MVC Congestion on Last Day of Each Month

Legislation Assembly Democrats Gordon Johnson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Annette Quijano and Jamel Holley sponsored to reduce lines and wait times at New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offices gained final legislative approval from the full Senate on Thursday.

Under current law, driver’s licenses expire every four years on the last day of the calendar month in which the license was issued. Under the bill (S-2564/A-4115), a motorist’s driver’s license would expire every four years on his or her birthday.

“One of the top concerns among many New Jersey drivers is the long wait for a simple driver’s license renewal at the local MVC office,” said Johnson (D-Bergen). “Shifting the expiration date from the last day of the month to an individual’s date of birth will ensure that everybody doesn’t end up at the office all at once.”

“Drivers who want to get their licenses renewed in New Jersey will spend an hour waiting to do something that really only takes a few minutes,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “Changing the deadline to the driver’s birthday is a common-sense solution that most states in the country already have implemented.”

“The last-minute rush at the end of the month is overwhelming for drivers who want to renew their licenses and for MVC employees alike,” said Quijano (D-Union). “Staggering renewals throughout each month will yield a better, more efficient experience for everyone involved.”

“Oftentimes the MVC experience is either a story of frustration or the punch line of a joke. It has a reputation for being unpleasant, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Holley (D-Union). “Distributing the deadlines for renewal throughout each month is a simple fix that can alleviate a lot of the stress drivers deal with at the local MVC office.”

The measure, which was unanimously approved by the Assembly in March, now heads to the Governor’s desk.