1752                                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                                         Ch. 472

(c)  The Administration may renew a license within 6 months
after the expiration date without requiring a driving test,

(d)  A license held by a person who is absent from this
State on active service in the armed forces of the United States
shall remain in full force and effect during such absence. The
license also shall remain in effect, if it would otherwise have
expired under this section, for a period of 30 days following the
date of the licensee's return to this State, or his discharge or
separation from active service:

(1)  If the licensee has in his immediate possession,
together with his driver's license, papers indicating his active
service outside this State or his discharge or separation; and

(2)  If the license is not otherwise suspended,
revoked, or canceled under this title during the 30-day period.

(e)  If a licensee is absent from this State for cause,
other than as provided in subsection (d), and is unable to renew
his license in the manner required by this section, the licensee
may renew by mail to the Administration. The renewal application
shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee and a statement giving

the reason for and the expected length of the absence. On
receipt of the application, the Administrator shall issue a
regular license and if the renewed license is one that requires
a photo it shall, in place of the photo, bear the notation that
it is valid without a photo until 15 days after the licensee
first returns to this State.

(f)  An individual may not drive [or attempt to drive] a
motor vehicle on any highway in this State if the license issued
to him under this title has expired.

(G) AN INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE

ON ANY HIGHWAY IN THIS STATE IF THE LICENSE ISSUED TO THE
INDIVIDUAL UNDER THIS TITLE HAS EXPIRED.

[(g)] (H) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this
subsection, the Administration shall require every individual
applying for renewal of a driver's license to pass a vision test
as prescribed by the Administrator.

(2)  (i) The Administrator shall accept a
certification of acceptable visual acuity from a licensed
physician or optometrist instead of requiring the actual test
provided for in this subsection.

(ii) The examination for which certification is
made shall take place within 12 months of the date of application
for renewal.

(3) (i) If the Administration has reason to believe
that an individual is a safety hazard by reason of a vision
deficiency, the Administration may require the vision test