General Assembly advances HB911 to update limited-duration driver’s license and ID rules for noncitizens

A measure introduced by State Del. Alfonso H. Lopez aims to update and unify regulations surrounding limited-duration driver’s licenses and identification cards—especially for noncitizens—after approval from both chambers, according to the Virginia State House.

The bill passed in both legislative chambers and was officially enrolled on March 10, 2026. The final votes were 59-34 in the House and 21-19 in the Senate.

The legislation, filed as HB911 during the 2026 regular session on Jan. 14, carries the following summary from the state legislature: “Limited-duration licenses, driver privilege cards, and permits; validity periods for documents.”

Below is our summary based on the text of the bill itself, with added explanations for clarity.

HB911 modifies Virginia’s limited-duration rules for various credentials, including driver’s licenses, permits, REAL ID cards, driver privilege cards, and identification privilege cards. Specifically, the bill requires that REAL ID and commercial limited-duration licenses align with either the individual’s authorized stay or last for a year when no clear end date exists and restricts late issuances if federal stay authorization is under 30 days. Expiration schedules and renewal protocols for driver and identification privilege cards are made more consistent. The measure upholds existing tax-filing and insurance standards, enhances privacy measures for documents and personal information, and directs the DMV to apply these new timelines only for future reissued credentials.

In the House, 59 Democrats supported the bill, while 34 Republicans voted against it.

For the Senate, the vote split saw 21 Democrats in favor and 19 Republicans in opposition.

Bill sponsors included Del. Alfonso H. Lopez (Democrat-3rd District), Del. Atoosa R. Reaser (Democrat-27th District), Del. Irene Shin (Democrat-8th District), and five additional lawmakers.

Lopez earned a BA from Vassar College in 1992 and a law degree from Tulane University in 1995.

The Democrat representing Virginia’s 3rd House district, Lopez, secured his State House seat in 2024 and succeeded former Del. Will Morefield.

In Virginia, the legislative process starts with introducing a bill in the House of Delegates or the Senate, where committees evaluate, amend, and vote. Should it pass committee and floor votes in both chambers, the measure moves to the governor, who may sign or veto it, or allow it to become law without signature. The Virginia General Assembly meets for regular session each year starting the second Monday of January, reviewing hundreds of bills, a portion of which are enacted.

Information in this article was gathered from the Virginia State House. Source data is available here.