If you already have DACA, you renew by filing Form I-821D, Form I-765 and Form I-765WS with USCIS, with the required fees, about 120 to 150 days before your current approval and work permit expire. You can file online through a USCIS account or by mail. As of October 21, 2026, USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests but is not adjudicating initial requests under the current court order.
We wrote this guide for people who want to get the renewal right the first time. It covers timing, the packet, the fee question, what happens after you file, and the situations where you should talk to an attorney before sending anything.
TL;DR
- File your renewal 120 to 150 days (about four to five months) before the expiration date on your current approval notice and EAD.
- The packet is Form I-821D, Form I-765 and Form I-765WS, all current editions, all signed, with the fees. Use the same name, date of birth and address on every form.
- Check the live USCIS fee pages on the day you file. Do not rely on an old fee figure, including ones in older guides.
- Renewals are taking longer for many people in 2026. Filing inside the window is your best protection against a gap in work authorization.
- If you have a criminal history, removal proceedings, travel abroad, or DACA that expired more than a year ago, get individual legal advice before filing.
Table of Contents
- Who can renew DACA right now
- When to file: the 120 to 150 day window
- Step-by-step: how to renew DACA
- Renewal checklist
- What the DACA renewal costs
- How long a DACA renewal takes in 2026
- What happens after you file
- If your work permit is about to expire
- When to talk to an attorney before filing
- Our perspective: calendar, not crisis
- Help with your renewal from our Utah immigration team
- FAQ
- Sources
Who can renew DACA right now
Renewal is only open to people who already have DACA. USCIS states that if your most recent DACA expired within the past year, it may still accept a renewal request. If it expired more than a year ago, or your DACA was terminated, the request is treated as a new initial request, and USCIS is not currently able to adjudicate those under the court-order posture that followed the Fifth Circuit’s January 17, 2025 decision.
That difference is the reason not to let your expiration date slip by. A renewal that is a few weeks late may still be accepted. One that is more than a year late may not be.
Renewal is also not automatic. USCIS reviews each request case by case, and discrepancies in identity information, travel history, criminal or public-safety issues, or missing evidence can lead to extra review or delay.
When to file: the 120 to 150 day window
Find the expiration date on your most recent Form I-797 approval notice and on your EAD. Count back 150 days and 120 days. Your filing window sits between those two dates.
USCIS recommends submitting between 120 and 150 days before expiration. The window works in both directions:
- Too early (more than 150 days out): it does not speed up the decision, and it can produce an overlap that leaves you with less than a full two years after your current DACA ends.
- Too late (fewer than 120 days out): it raises the risk that your DACA and work permit expire before a decision arrives.
A simple way to handle it: put two calendar reminders on your phone today, one at the 150-day mark and one at the 120-day mark. Do not wait for the second one. Gather documents at the first.
An example
Say your EAD expires on June 30, 2027. The 150-day mark falls around February 1, 2027, and the 120-day mark around March 3, 2027. Your target is to file in February, which leaves roughly four months of buffer before the card expires. Count the exact dates from your own card rather than copying these.
Step-by-step: how to renew DACA
- Pull your last approval documents. Locate your latest Form I-797 and your EAD. You will compare every detail of the new forms against them.
- Choose online or paper. USCIS allows renewal requests to be filed online through a USCIS online account or by mail to the correct Lockbox. Online filing is available for renewals only, not initial requests. The account is free and lets you pay, track your case, receive secure messages and answer Requests for Evidence online.
- Complete the three forms. Form I-821D (the DACA request), Form I-765 (work permit application) and Form I-765WS (the worksheet). Use the current edition of each from the USCIS site.
- Check the fees. See the fee section below.
- Review for consistency. Same name, date of birth and address everywhere. Sign Forms I-821D and I-765.
- Submit. If you mail it, send all three forms together with payment, and keep a complete copy of everything plus the delivery record.
- Watch for notices. Respond to any USCIS notice by its deadline, and go to your biometrics appointment if one is scheduled.
Renewal checklist
Use this before you hit submit.
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Expiration date | Filing falls between 120 and 150 days before it |
| Form I-821D | Current edition, every question answered, signed |
| Form I-765 | Current edition, signed, consistent with I-821D |
| Form I-765WS | Included with the other two |
| Name and date of birth | Match your last approval notice and EAD exactly |
| Address | Same on every form, and current for receiving mail |
| Fees | Verified on the live USCIS pages on the day you file |
| Copies | Complete filing copy and proof of delivery or online confirmation saved |
| Travel and arrests | Any trip abroad or any police contact since your last approval reviewed with an attorney |
The consistency row matters more than people expect. USCIS’s own filing tips warn that even small mistakes can lead to a rejected request, and different versions of a name or date of birth are a classic cause of intake problems. Comparing your draft to your last approval notice takes ten minutes and can save months.
What the DACA renewal costs
Fees change, and this is one place where an outdated number does real damage. USCIS says the Form I-821D page holds the controlling current fee information, and that DACA fees are generally not waivable, although limited exemptions may exist. Check the USCIS Form I-821D page and the Form I-765 page on the day you file.
For background, USCIS’s fee rule compliance guide shows that the DACA policy fees had been kept at the historical structure of $410 for employment authorization and $85 for biometrics. That document is older, so treat it as history, not as your 2026 total. Many guides online quote different totals for online and paper filing. Confirm any figure against USCIS before paying.
Two practical points:
- If you file by mail, make sure each payment matches what the current form instructions require. A wrong amount can get a packet rejected.
- Pay only USCIS. Official forms are free to download, and no one can legitimately sell you a faster decision.
How long a DACA renewal takes in 2026
USCIS says it continues to adjudicate the majority of renewals within its 120-day processing goal. Historically it has been faster: USCIS reported a median of one month for renewals and associated EADs in fiscal year 2023, and under two months in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. Those are past medians, not a promise about your case.
The experience in 2026 has been less smooth for many applicants. CNN reported in May 2026 that the median wait for renewals between October 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026 was about 70 days, and described recipients losing work permits while they waited. Individual cases vary a great deal, which is why the filing window matters.
USCIS points to several causes of slower cases:
- Missed or rescheduled biometrics appointments
- Additional national-security, criminality or public-safety vetting
- Questions about travel abroad
- Name or date-of-birth discrepancies
- Incomplete submissions that need more evidence
If your renewal has been pending more than 105 days, USCIS guidance says you may be able to submit an online case inquiry. Keep your receipt number handy for that.
What happens after you file
Expect some combination of the following:
- Receipt notice. Confirms USCIS has your request and gives you a receipt number. Check it for typos in your name and date of birth.
- Biometrics appointment. USCIS may schedule you at an Application Support Center. Missing it can delay processing or lead to denial, so reschedule rather than skip.
- Request for Evidence. If something is missing or unclear, you get a deadline. Answer completely and on time.
- Interview request. Less common, but USCIS may ask you to appear at an office.
- Decision. USCIS provides a written determination.
Monitor your online account or mail, and keep every notice in one folder.
If your work permit is about to expire
A valid, unexpired EAD means you remain authorized to work. The Department of Justice explains that employers generally are not required to reverify or ask about DACA merely because of the court litigation. That helps separate a card that is about to expire from one that is already invalid.
Once the expiration date on the card passes, though, your authorization to work ends unless a decision has come through. Talk to your employer’s HR team early about what date they will need new documents, and keep proof of your pending renewal. If your job or a license depends on the card, tell an attorney now rather than after the date passes.
If you hold a different work permit category, such as one tied to a pending asylum case, the renewal rules are different. Our guide on renewing a U.S. work permit early explains the I-765 timing for those categories.
When to talk to an attorney before filing
Most straightforward renewals are filed without a lawyer. Some situations are not straightforward, and a mistake in them can cost more than the filing itself:
- Any arrest, charge or conviction since your last approval. Public-safety vetting can slow or derail a renewal. If a DUI is involved, read about the immigration consequences of a DUI first.
- Removal proceedings. DACA does not guarantee a case ends. A 2026 Board of Immigration Appeals decision, Matter of Santiago-Santiago, held that being a deferred action beneficiary is not the sole, dispositive reason to terminate proceedings.
- Travel abroad. Leaving the country without advance parole can affect your DACA. Do not travel until you have spoken with an immigration attorney.
- Name or date-of-birth conflicts across old documents.
- Another possible immigration benefit, such as a family-based route. DACA is temporary prosecutorial discretion, not permanent residence or a path to citizenship. See our overview of adjustment of status in Utah.
- Unsure what is in your file. You can request your records through an immigration FOIA request to see what USCIS, CBP or EOIR holds.
Our perspective: calendar, not crisis
We see the same pattern again and again. The people who run into trouble are rarely the ones with a complicated case. They are the ones who filed late, mailed an unsigned form, or had a middle name on one form and not on another.
Our advice is plain. Treat the renewal as a project with a start date, not a task for the week your card expires. Set the reminder, assemble the documents at 150 days, and file with margin. Read the forms against your old approval notice line by line. Keep a full copy of what you send.
And be honest with yourself about your history. If something in your record worries you, whether an arrest, a trip, or an old immigration filing, the time to deal with it is before USCIS reviews it. At our firm, immigration clients get a strategy built around their facts, and we pay attention to the longer-term picture, because DACA alone is not a lasting status.
— Paralegal
Help with your renewal from our Utah immigration team
If your renewal is straightforward, the steps above should get you through it. If it is not, or you simply want someone to review the packet before it goes out, our immigration attorneys can help. Learn more about our immigration practice in Salt Lake City or see all of our practice areas. We do not publish a price for immigration matters, so we will discuss fees with you directly when you contact us.
FAQ
How do I renew DACA?
You file Forms I-821D, I-765 and I-765WS with the required fees, either online through a USCIS account or by mail to the right Lockbox. Sign the forms, use the current editions, and keep a complete copy. Aim to file 120 to 150 days before your current DACA and EAD expire.
Is DACA still being renewed in 2026?
Yes. USCIS continues to accept and process renewal requests and the related work permit applications. It is not processing initial requests under the current court order, so renewing on time is important.
What if my DACA expired?
If it expired within the past year, USCIS may still accept a renewal request. If it expired more than a year ago, or was terminated, the request is treated as an initial request, which USCIS currently cannot adjudicate. Speak with an immigration attorney about your options right away.
Can I file my DACA renewal earlier than 150 days?
It will not help. Filing earlier does not speed the decision and can leave you with less than a full two years after your current DACA ends. Wait for the window to open.
What should I do if my renewal is delayed?
Check your online account and mail for any biometrics appointment or Request for Evidence first. If your case has been pending more than 105 days, you may be able to submit an online case inquiry. If your work permit is close to expiring, tell your employer and an attorney early.
Sources
- Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), USCIS
- Form I-821D page and renewal reminders, USCIS
- Filing Tips for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, USCIS
- USCIS Fee Rule Small Entity Compliance Guide
- Important Reminders Regarding the DACA Renewal Process, USCIS bulletin
- DACA recipients are losing protections and work permits as renewal delays surge, CNN
- Reminders for DACA Recipients and Employers, U.S. Department of Justice
- Matter of Santiago-Santiago, 29 I&N Dec. 589 (BIA 2026)