Over 500,000 Georgia residents

have used the state's automatic driver's license renewal program,

avoiding lines at license bureaus.

The state mails applications

to those who qualify roughly 60 days before their license expires. The

application may be renewed online, by phone or by mail. The driver's

license is then sent by mail well before the license expires, according

to officials.

To qualify for automatic renewal,

the driver must not have any active or pending suspensions and their last

photo, fingerprint and signature must be on file. The previous photo is

used on the new license also, officials said.

The only catch is when the

license is renewed, there can be no changes made to the information on

the license. Those who renew their licenses automatically must visit a

license office when their new license expires in four years to re-take

the photo and take the eye exam.

The mail-in option to automatically

renew driver's licenses has been the most popular, with over 490,000

citizens using that option. Over 58,000 people have registered on the

Internet and more than 4,600 have renewed over the phone.

The automated renewal program

began May 1 of last year. The Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety

renews about 1.5 million driver's licenses each year.

Because of budget cuts, the

agency had to reduce the number of license examiners throughout the state.

The DMVS stopped operating renewal only sites months ago, including the

one that operated in the Braelinn Kroger grocery store in Peachtree City.

Local residents can still appear

in person to have their driver's license renewed at the DMVS office

at the intersection of McDonough Road and McElroy Road. The office is

open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and all renewals must

be paid for in cash.