The following details the steps required to renew your driver's licence in Lagos, Nigeria. This is based on my recent experience. I'll try to be as detailed as possible but let me know if you have any questions.

The process can be split into 3 stages: Pre-application, Online Application, and DLC process. The whole thing can be done in a day.

PRE-APPLICATION:
My driver's licence was soon to expire and I started to experience the typical anxiety most people feel when they need to go through a process involving Nigerian government agencies. A number of questions needed answering so I got on Google ASAP.

QUESTION 1: Can I start the process online?
Answer: This was easy. The website http://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org shows up as soon as you type in "driver's licence" on Google.

QUESTION 2: Should I start the process now or should I wait for the licence to expire first? In other words, is there a grace period after the licence expires?
Answer: Nairaland had a number of conflicting opinions on this. Most people seemed to believe that there was a grace period after the licence expires. Some others even claimed it was risky starting the process before the licence expired. This notion is however incorrect.
I did some digging online and found an extract from the 2012 National Road Traffic Regulations (available here: http://frsc.gov.ng/publications) which states you can apply for a renewal "any time within a period of one calendar month before the expiry date of the licence." I also messaged the FRSC Nigeria Facebook account and the response was straightforward, "No grace after expiration please. You have to start the process as the license is about expiring."
In short, the grace period is 30 days before the licence expires. So I started the process immediately.

ONLINE APPLICATION
1. Go to http://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org and click on "Driver's Licence Renewal" (or "Renewal of Driver's Licence" under "DL Application"
2. This takes you to this page https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org/dlApplication/renew where you are to enter your
Driver's Licence Number and Date of Birth. Note: If your drivers' licence is not going to expire within 30 days, you won't be able to proceed past this point.
3. On the renewal page, select between a 3-year validity period for N6,350 or a 5-year validity period for N10,450.
4. Complete the rest of the form with your personal details and contact/mailing address. You can choose to edit your information here (just check the edit box) or you can retain the details you had as at your last application. You can also add your Taxpayer Identification Number (just the 6 digits without the "N-" if you are so inclined.
5. If you do not need to change anything, you can skip to the bottom of the form where you fill in the Processing Office Details. The state and local government where your licence was initially processed will be indicated here, however you need to select your preferred FRSC Capture Center to conclude the process (I wasted some time here trying to figure out the difference between Eti-Osa_I and Eti-Osa_II then just went with Iru_VI eventually)
6. Next you have the option of repeating the bio-metric data capture or not. Unless you have undergone significant physical changes in the last 3-5 years, please select "No" here.
7. Submit
8. Note: If for any reason, you have to reload this page, please start over and select "No" under the bio-metric re-capture option again. When I first tried to submit and I had to correct something on the form, I noticed that the selection had defaulted to "Yes"; so I simply restarted the process from step 2 above (it doesn't take 5 minutes).
9. Once you are done, you will be shown the completed ML15R form on a Driver's Licence Application Preview Page. This will have all the application details with three options at the bottom of the page: 'Print', 'Proceed with Payment', 'Cancel'
10. I strongly advise you proceed with the online payment at this stage. It's the normal Interswitch process and pretty straightforward.
11. Once you're done with the payment, you will be taken back to the updated Driver's Licence Application Preview Page with the Payment Status updated to Payment Confirmed and the expiry date extended by the validity period you paid for (3 or 5 years)
12. Go to the bottom of the page and click on 'Print'

DLC PROCESS
1. Print 2 copies of the completed Driver's Licence Application Preview Page
2. Make 2 copies of your current driver's licence. Also have the original with you.
3. Take 2 passport photographs
4. Head to your selected FRSC Capture Center. If you can find the VIO "Road Sense" CD/DVD that you were given when you first applied for your driver's licence, please take this along with you.
5. At the center, present items 1-3 listed above (alongside your current original driver's licence) to the FRSC officers.
6. Next you will be directed to the VIO office (same building)
7. Present the above-listed items to the VIO officials.
8. At this point, you will be asked to pay N1,000. This is where the "Road Sense" CD/DVD comes in handy. The N1,000 payment is for a test and the CD. I mentioned that I was given the CD the last time I renewed my driver's licence and they asked if I had it with me. The explanation was that they couldn't simply accept my word that I had the CD. However, if I could present the CD, they would take out the cost from the N1,000. I didn't belabour the matter.
9. After paying, you need to take a test. I was given a verbal test although the VIO official pointed out that it should/could have been a written test. The test was simple enough and it essentially became a 5-minute educational discourse. Just be patient and remember, the maximum speed limit in Lagos State is 80km/hr
10. After successfully passing the test, the VIO official will give you a signed Driver's Licence Checklist, and also complete required parts of the printed Driver's Licence Application Page.
11. Back at the FRSC desk, you need to make copies of the signed Driver's Licence Checklist and the signed Driver's Licence Application Page (with your passport photograph attached).
12. These copies attached to a copy of your current driver's licence will be further signed by the FRSC official and this forms your temporary driver's licence.

The new driver's licence will be ready in 3 months.

The cut-down version of the above is as follows:

1. Go to http://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org and click "Renewal of Driver's Licence" under "DL Application"

2. Enter your details and submit the forms. Remember to select 'No' under the Repeat Biometric Data Capture option (unless you recently got tribal marks )

3. Pay online using your Visa or MasterCard

4. Print 2 copies of the Driver's Licence Application Preview Page

5. Make 2 copies of your current driver's licence

6. Get 2 passport photographs

7. Head to your selected FRSC Capture Center with your original driver's licence

8. Submit the forms, pay N1,000 for the VIO test/CD, make all needed photocopies

9. Collect your temporary licence and check back in 3 months for the new one.

Wow


Never knew this is possible


Good morning Nigeria ,



the second man below me is about to receive 5 year ban ,I think he is new to nairaland,

It's been over a year since I applies for drivers licence.. till now it's not ready. I only have the temporary one

Good !

Very informative !

Theory is always different from practice in Nigeria oooooo


You didn't also include bribes/tips?
Nobody goes to FRSC licence office without that.

I need to do mine ins Jalingo.
I dey come

Informative and educative. You should be a lecturer @op.

One day, you complete the application and test but the actual lisence will be ready in three months.

The offices are full with applicants and what not, making the process even slower. Lets say the whole process is suppose to be one day............nigeria.....not......happening

So whats the step in Enugu?

Cos everything is diff in Lag and Abj


See below shaa

Hello?
What if one fails the 'simple' test after paying all those cash?

OP you are selfless man

Where you might likely be delayed unnecessarily is the 1k part. I'm very s sure the VIO guys will be waiting to extort you as they don't like making things easy. I stand to be corrected though. Fingers crossed.

At least Jonathan tried with this...

Mynd44 have you renewed?

Na only for dream this one dey work.

God bless you for sharing this.

NifemiOlu:
Hello?
What if one fails the 'simple' test after paying all those cash?

You do what you did in school to become a graduate

Bribe them.

Thanks for the update

Stories. . .

When u reach office na there you go hear :
Our server has been down since two weeks
The capturing machine is faulty
NEPA Don disconnect our light

Bla bla

OP; Thank you so much and God bless you for this info.

Its about 3 years now I applied for my drivers licence, uptill now I not gotten even the temporary one. When I visited FRSC office, they kept on telling me come today come tomorrow.

Again, you did not include the tips for bribe. Have you forgotten we are in Nigeria?

informative. Thanks.

(for those of us that have misplace our Driver's Licence before its expire)what is the the process to renew your Driver's Licence

Nice development, this will reduce the hazle pple go through just to renew licence

Hmm! Easy on paper... When you get there, you will know it is not as easy as ABC..

But nice info sha.

NwaAmaikpe:


Theory is always different from practice in Nigeria oooooo


You didn't also include bribes/tips?
Nobody goes to FRSC licence office without that.

I did mine three months ago without paying a dime as bribe. All officials involved were professional. Especially the FRSC. In fact there's a bold sign telling you not to pay anything extra than advertised.

msanda:
The following details the steps required to renew your driver's licence in Lagos, Nigeria. This is based on my recent experience. I'll try to be as detailed as possible but let me know if you have any questions.

The process can be split into 3 stages: Pre-application, Online Application, and DLC process. The whole thing can be done in a day.

PRE-APPLICATION:
My driver's licence was soon to expire and I started to experience the typical anxiety most people feel when they need to go through a process involving Nigerian government agencies. A number of questions needed answering so I got on Google ASAP.

QUESTION 1: Can I start the process online?
Answer: This was easy. The website http://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org shows up as soon as you type in "driver's licence" on Google.

QUESTION 2: Should I start the process now or should I wait for the licence to expire first? In other words, is there a grace period after the licence expires?
Answer: Nairaland had a number of conflicting opinions on this. Most people seemed to believe that there was a grace period after the licence expires. Some others even claimed it was risky starting the process before the licence expired. This notion is however incorrect.
I did some digging online and found an extract from the 2012 National Road Traffic Regulations (available here: http://frsc.gov.ng/publications) which states you can apply for a renewal "any time within a period of one calendar month before the expiry date of the licence." I also messaged the FRSC Nigeria Facebook account and the response was straightforward, "No grace after expiration please. You have to start the process as the license is about expiring."
In short, the grace period is 30 days before the licence expires. So I started the process immediately.

ONLINE APPLICATION
1. Go to http://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org and click on "Driver's Licence Renewal" (or "Renewal of Driver's Licence" under "DL Application"
2. This takes you to this page https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org/dlApplication/renew where you are to enter your
Driver's Licence Number and Date of Birth. Note: If your drivers' licence is not going to expire within 30 days, you won't be able to proceed past this point.
3. On the renewal page, select between a 3-year validity period for N6,350 or a 5-year validity period for N10,450.
4. Complete the rest of the form with your personal details and contact/mailing address. You can choose to edit your information here (just check the edit box) or you can retain the details you had as at your last application. You can also add your Taxpayer Identification Number (just the 6 digits without the "N-" if you are so inclined.
5. If you do not need to change anything, you can skip to the bottom of the form where you fill in the Processing Office Details. The state and local government where your licence was initially processed will be indicated here, however you need to select your preferred FRSC Capture Center to conclude the process (I wasted some time here trying to figure out the difference between Eti-Osa_I and Eti-Osa_II then just went with Iru_VI eventually)
6. Next you have the option of repeating the bio-metric data capture or not. Unless you have undergone significant physical changes in the last 3-5 years, please select "No" here.
7. Submit
8. Note: If for any reason, you have to reload this page, please start over and select "No" under the bio-metric re-capture option again. When I first tried to submit and I had to correct something on the form, I noticed that the selection had defaulted to "Yes"; so I simply restarted the process from step 2 above (it doesn't take 5 minutes).
9. Once you are done, you will be shown the completed ML15R form on a Driver's Licence Application Preview Page. This will have all the application details with three options at the bottom of the page: 'Print', 'Proceed with Payment', 'Cancel'
10. I strongly advise you proceed with the online payment at this stage. It's the normal Interswitch process and pretty straightforward.
11. Once you're done with the payment, you will be taken back to the updated Driver's Licence Application Preview Page with the Payment Status updated to Payment Confirmed and the expiry date extended by the validity period you paid for (3 or 5 years)
12. Go to the bottom of the page and click on 'Print'

DLC PROCESS
1. Print 2 copies of the completed Driver's Licence Application Preview Page
2. Make 2 copies of your current driver's licence. Also have the original with you.
3. Take 2 passport photographs
4. Head to your selected FRSC Capture Center. If you can find the VIO "Road Sense" CD/DVD that you were given when you first applied for your driver's licence, please take this along with you.
5. At the center, present items 1-3 listed above (alongside your current original driver's licence) to the FRSC officers.
6. Next you will be directed to the VIO office (same building)
7. Present the above-listed items to the VIO officials.
8. At this point, you will be asked to pay N1,000. This is where the "Road Sense" CD/DVD comes in handy. The N1,000 payment is for a test and the CD. I mentioned that I was given the CD the last time I renewed my driver's licence and they asked if I had it with me. The explanation was that they couldn't simply accept my word that I had the CD. However, if I could present the CD, they would take out the cost from the N1,000. I didn't belabour the matter.
9. After paying, you need to take a test. I was given a verbal test although the VIO official pointed out that it should/could have been a written test. The test was simple enough and it essentially became a 5-minute educational discourse. Just be patient and remember, the maximum speed limit in Lagos State is 80km/hr
10. After successfully passing the test, the VIO official will give you a signed Driver's Licence Checklist, and also complete required parts of the printed Driver's Licence Application Page.
11. Back at the FRSC desk, you need to make copies of the signed Driver's Licence Checklist and the signed Driver's Licence Application Page (with your passport photograph attached).
12. These copies attached to a copy of your current driver's licence will be further signed by the FRSC official and this forms your temporary driver's licence.

The new driver's licence will be ready in 3 months.

pls how much is for a drivers licence in portharcourt or is dere a fixed amount

Noted