Jamaica Driver's Licence Renewal 2026: Cost, Documents, Online Payment and Expired Licences

Jamaica Driver's Licence Renewal 2026: Cost, Documents, Online Payment and Expired Licences

You renew a Jamaican driver's licence at any Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) tax office, or by paying online through TAJ eServices and then dropping your documents at a tax office, and you collect the renewed licence from TAJ. The fee is J$4,140 for Class A (motorcycle), J$5,400 for Class B (private) and J$7,200 for Class C (general), exactly the same as a first issue. Two 60-day windows matter: you can renew up to 60 days before the expiry date, and once the fee is paid you may drive for up to 60 days on the receipt plus your expired licence while the new card is processed.

Key takeaways

• Renewal costs J$4,140 (Class A), J$5,400 (Class B) or J$7,200 (Class C). There is no separate expired rate and no published late fee.
• Pay at any TAJ tax office or online, hand in your documents at a tax office, then collect the licence from TAJ. The Transport Authority does not handle driver's licences.
• "Online renewal" means online payment only. You still visit a tax office with the receipt, Form F7, a photo and a copy of your licence.
• A licence lasts 5 years and expires on your birthday. Drivers aged 70 and over renew for 3 years with a medical report on Form MC1.
• After paying, the receipt and expired licence cover you for 60 days. Unpaid tickets block renewal. Driving without being the holder of a licence carries a J$40,000 fixed penalty; whether that applies to an expired licence is not settled.
• Same-day processing at 10 TAJ offices was put on hold in December 2025; other offices take about 20 working days.

How much does it cost to renew a driver's licence in Jamaica?

Renewal costs J$4,140, J$5,400 or J$7,200 depending on the class of licence, and the amount is identical to the fee for a first issue. The Road Traffic Regulations 2022 set these figures (Third Schedule, Part B, item 20), and TAJ's rates page publishes the same numbers. Older fee tables from 2006 still circulate online and are obsolete, so use the current amounts below.

Transaction	Legacy TAJ name	Fee	Term
Class A licence (motorcycle), issue or renewal	Motor Cycle	J$4,140	5 years
Class B licence (private), issue or renewal	Private	J$5,400	5 years
Class C licence (general), issue or renewal	General	J$7,200	5 years
Substitute licence (lost, stolen or destroyed)	Substitute	J$4,140	Replaces your current licence
Learner's permit, issue or renewal	Learner's	J$1,800	1 year

Two related charges do not apply to renewal but often cause confusion: the driving examination fee is J$3,240 as charged by TAJ and the ITA (the statute still lists J$2,500), and an international driving permit costs J$500. The regulations also price a printed Road Code at J$1,000. For every charge in one place, see our Jamaica driver's licence fees guide.

Where and how to renew

The Island Traffic Authority's infographic of 17 December 2025 describes the process: pay the fee at any TAJ tax office or online, submit your documents at a tax office, wait for processing, and collect the renewed licence from TAJ. Legally the ITA is the issuing authority under section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 2018, but TAJ does the counter work. The Transport Authority (ta.org.jm) does not deal with driver's licences at all.

Ten TAJ offices were offering same-day processing as of 8 July 2025: the Kingston, St Andrew, Montego Bay and Mandeville Revenue Service Centres, plus Spanish Town, May Pen, St Ann's Bay, Savanna-la-Mar, Port Antonio and Annotto Bay, with Portmore handling renewals only. Every other tax office takes about 20 working days. Same-day processing was put on hold on 2 December 2025 after a maintenance issue, and no resumption notice has been published, so check with TAJ for the current same-day status before you travel.

Can you renew a Jamaican driver's licence online?

Only partly. You can pay the renewal fee online through TAJ eServices, but there is no fully online renewal: you still hand in documents at a tax office and collect the new licence in person. Online payment skips the cashier queue, not the trip.

Online payment has been available since July 2020 for General, Private and Motor Cycle licences that have already expired or that expire within 30 days. You pay by credit card, or by a debit card with credit features, and you need three details from your current licence: your TRN, the expiry date and the control number. Print the receipt when the payment goes through.

Then take the printed receipt, a completed Form F7, one passport photo not older than 6 months (it does not need to be certified) and a copy of your expired or current licence to a tax office. You can follow progress afterwards under "Driver's Licence Renewal Status" in eServices.

Documents you need

Bring the following to the tax office, whether you paid online or at the counter:

• Your expired or expiring licence.
• A completed Form F7, "Application for Driver's Licence Transactions", available from TAJ's website.
• One passport-size photo, 2 x 2 inches, not more than 6 months old: colour, matte finish, plain background, no head covering, with the face measuring 25 to 35 mm.
• Proof of residential address.
• Your TRN.
• The fee receipt.
• A medical certificate if you are 70 or over (see below).

There is no Road Code test on renewal; the Ministry confirmed this in January 2020. The written test is for people applying for a learner's permit. If you are helping someone start from scratch, point them to the free Jamaica road code test and our guide on how to get a driver's licence in Jamaica. ExamReady is an independent study site and is not affiliated with the Island Traffic Authority or Tax Administration Jamaica.

When you can renew and how long it lasts

A Jamaican driver's licence is valid for 5 years under section 25(2) of the Road Traffic Act 2018 and expires on the holder's birthday (regulation 159(1)). You can apply for renewal up to 60 days before that date, so a licence expiring on a birthday in June can be renewed from April. Only one 5-year term is on offer.

If you are 70 or older, the renewal is for 3 years and you must include a medical report on Form MC1 from a registered medical practitioner, dated within the last 3 months (Act section 30(1)(d) and (2); regulation 163(2)). No separate fee line exists for the 3-year renewal, so expect TAJ to charge the normal class fee, and confirm at the counter. A June 2024 proposal to simplify the over-70 process with a supplemental form and a lower fee has not, as far as we can find, been enacted, so plan around the current rules.

Driving on an expired licence

Once you have paid the renewal fee, you may drive for up to 60 days on the receipt together with your expired licence while the new one is processed. That cover starts at payment, not at expiry: there is no statutory grace period for an unpaid expired licence, so if you have missed the early window, pay online the day it expires.

The penalties are steep. Driving without being the holder of a permit or licence carries a fixed penalty of J$40,000 under the First Schedule to the Act. Whether an expired, unpaid licence counts as "not the holder" is not settled in any published guidance we could find, so do not rely on a lenient reading. Failing to produce your licence to a constable carries a J$2,000 fixed penalty, so carry the receipt and old card together.

Clear your tickets first. Since April 2023, outstanding traffic tickets block renewal under section 30(1)(c) of the Act, so TAJ will not process the application until they are paid.

Renewing from abroad

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) publishes a process for Jamaicans overseas. You appoint a representative in Jamaica and send them your original expired licence, a Form F7 certified by a Notary Public or a Jamaican consular officer, a photo certified, stamped and dated by the same notary or consular officer, and a notarised authorisation letter addressed to TAJ. Your representative pays the fee at the TAJ rate and submits everything at a tax office.

For a proxy renewal inside Jamaica, TAJ's FAQ indicates that Form F7 should be signed before a Notary, a Consulate or a Justice of the Peace. Confirm the current wording with TAJ before your representative visits.

Lost or stolen licence

Apply for a substitute licence on Form F7 at any tax office, with a photo and identification, and pay J$4,140 (regulation 161). TAJ completes a lost-document report as part of the transaction. A 2011 leaflet mentioned an interim document, and some sources mention a police report; neither is confirmed in current guidance, so ask at the counter what to expect.

If you hold a learner's permit rather than a full licence, the process differs: renewal costs J$1,800 and needs two JP-certified photos, ID, your TRN and the expired permit. Our provisional (learner's) licence guide covers the details.

Official sources

• Island Traffic Authority: How to Renew Your Driver's Licence (steps, documents, 60-day rules, 17 December 2025)
• TAJ: Driver's Licence Renewal Hub (online payment and status tracking)
• TAJ: Rates and Fees (current licence fees)
• Form F7: Application for Driver's Licence Transactions
• Form MC1: Medical Form for Learner's Permit and Driver's Licence
• JIS: Additional TAJ locations offering same-day processing (8 July 2025) and JIS: Same-day processing on hold (2 December 2025)
• MFAFT: Renewing a Jamaican Driver's Licence from Abroad
• Road Traffic Act 2018 and Road Traffic Regulations 2022 (in force 1 February 2023): validity, over-70 rules, fees and fixed penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to renew a driver's licence in Jamaica?

J$4,140 for Class A (motorcycle), J$5,400 for Class B (private) and J$7,200 for Class C (general). The fee is the same as for a first issue, and there is no published late fee or separate expired rate.

Can I renew my Jamaican driver's licence online?

You can pay online through TAJ eServices if your licence has expired or expires within 30 days, using your TRN, expiry date and control number. You must still take the printed receipt, Form F7, a photo and a copy of your licence to a tax office and collect the new licence in person.

What documents do I need to renew?

Your expired or expiring licence, a completed Form F7, one 2 x 2 inch passport photo under 6 months old, proof of residential address, your TRN and the fee receipt. Drivers aged 70 and over also need a Form MC1 medical report dated within 3 months.

How early can I renew?

Up to 60 days before the expiry date, which falls on your birthday. The renewed licence runs for 5 years, or 3 years if you are 70 or older.

What happens if my licence has expired?

Pay the renewal fee as soon as possible. Once paid, the receipt plus the expired licence covers you for up to 60 days. Before payment there is no grace period. Driving without being the holder of a licence carries a J$40,000 fixed penalty, and it is not settled whether an expired licence counts, so do not drive on it. Outstanding tickets must be cleared first.

Can I renew my Jamaican licence from overseas?

Yes, through a representative in Jamaica. Send them your original expired licence, a Form F7 and photo certified by a Notary Public or Jamaican consular officer, and a notarised authorisation letter to TAJ. They pay the fee and submit the documents at a tax office.