Failed the Texas DPS Vision Test? What DL-63 Means and What to Do Next
Updated: Sep 27
You went in to renew your driver's license, sat down for the quick eye chart check, and the clerk didn't wave you through. Instead, they handed you a form called DL-63 and said you
need to see an eye doctor before your license can be renewed. If that just happened to you, here's what it actually means, and what to do next.
What Failing the DPS Vision Screening Actually Means
Texas DPS requires 20/40 vision or better in both eyes to pass the standard screening at the counter. If your eyes test worse than that, or if a screener has any concern, you don't automatically lose your driving privileges. Instead, you're handed Form DL-63, officially called the Driver License Vision Evaluation Report. It's DPS asking a licensed eye doctor to take a closer look and confirm what you can actually see.
What the DL-63 Form Actually Requires
An optometrist or ophthalmologist completes the DL-63 after a comprehensive eye exam, not just a quick acuity check. It documents your actual visual acuity, any restrictions you need (such as corrective lenses), and whether your vision, corrected or not, meets the state's driving standard. The completed form is valid for six months from your exam date, and it goes back to DPS, not to you to interpret. In more complex cases involving significant vision loss or a progressive eye condition, DPS may route the file to the Texas Medical Advisory Board, or ask for an in-person driving evaluation, before making a final decision.
What Restrictions Might Show Up on Your License
Most people who go through this process end up fine, just with a corrective lens restriction added to their license if they don't already have one. If vision measures 20/50 or better with glasses or contacts, that's usually all that happens. Vision in the 20/60 to 20/70 range, corrected, can come with a daylight-only restriction, limiting driving to hours with good natural light. Vision worse than 20/70 even with correction is where DPS looks much more closely, sometimes requiring an updated evaluation or a driving test. None of this is decided by the DPS clerk at the counter. It's decided by your eye doctor's exam findings on the DL-63.
Getting Your DL-63 Completed Without the Wait
Because the DL-63 only counts for six months, it's worth handling promptly rather than letting it sit in a drawer. At Need Eye Exam PLLC, inside 99 Ranch Market in Carrollton, we complete DL-63 forms as part of a full 30-minute comprehensive eye exam, not a rushed five-minute check, so you get an accurate result the first time. We take walk-ins Tuesday through Sunday, and same-day and urgent visits are welcome if your renewal deadline is close. Exams start at $69, we accept Medicaid and most major vision insurance plans, and our team sees patients in English, Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Hindi. Bring your DL-63 form with you, or just mention that DPS referred you for a vision evaluation, and we'll take care of the rest.
A DL-63 in hand isn't a setback, it's just DPS asking for one more confirmation before your license is renewed. Get your comprehensive eye exam and completed DL-63 at Need Eye Exam PLLC / Vision Looky Optical, inside 99 Ranch Market in Carrollton, TX, and get back to DPS with your answer in one visit.
