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If you dread going to the California DMV, don’t worry; the agency would also prefer that you handle your DMV-related tasks elsewhere.
In its efforts to move more services online, the DMV is stopping in-office service for several simple tasks.
Californians who would like to take care of the following tasks will not be able to do so at a DMV office starting on June 3:
• vehicle registration renewal that is not past the due date.
• driver’s license renewal that does not require an in-person visit.
• requests for copies of vehicle registration records, which show ownership history.
• requests for copies of driver’s license records, which show a driver’s history.
• replacing a lost or stolen driver’s license or identification card.
The DMV said it would no longer process these transactions in offices, citing the ease with which they could be done by other means and to reduce the wait times for people who do need to visit an office.
“The DMV is becoming a mobile-first operation, and simple renewals are easy self-help transactions that don’t require an office visit,” the DMV director, Steve Gordon, said in a statement. “…We have also shortened the time it takes to receive vehicle stickers and driver’s licenses. In most cases, you’ll have your item in less than two weeks.”
In recent years, the DMV has been digitizing many of its services and said in a statement that 90% of transactions can be done on a phone, tablet or computer.
Californians can also take care of transactions by mail, at partner locations like AAA offices if you’re a member, and at self-serve kiosks that are located at places like grocery stores.
The DMV said that by moving simpler tasks completely away from offices, it could reduce visits by 200,000 customers per month statewide, saving time for people who must go to an office, such as those getting a REAL ID, but even that process can be started online.