Coronavirus: California DMV now requires visits by appointment, cuts extended hours
The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced actions Wednesday — including moving to appointment-only visits, rescheduling drive tests and suspending extended hours — to protect employees and visitors at DMV offices during the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials said the DMV will start calling people to reschedule drive tests that were scheduled for the next 30 days, and it is suspending extended office hours and Saturday field office services.
DMV offices will remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The offices are open only for services that were made by appointments starting on Thursday.
“Our appointment system will allow us to better manage the flow of people coming to our offices and accommodate social distancing recommendations,” the department said in a statement.
The department said it is using other social distancing measures to prevent a large congregation of people within DMV offices, such as offering a texting service so people can check in, leave the office and then come back inside one they’re notified of their place in line via text.
Seating is also being reduced in offices to create more space between seats, the department said.
“Driver license transactions that require an in-office visit include applications for a new driver license or REAL ID, knowledge tests for people who are 70-years-old or older, people who are required to renew in the office, people who need vision testing and people with complex driving history,” the department said.
Vehicle registration renewals that cannot be done online are recent vehicle transfers, vehicles with smog issues, registrations that are expired for 90 days or more and vehicles with outdated insurance information.
The department said it will launch a virtual field office on Monday, March 23 so people can upload documents and provide an e-signature for things like vehicle title transfers, commercial driver license renewals, name or gender changes, driver license reinstatement and changing endorsements.
The DMV has also asked law enforcement agencies statewide to use more discretion over the next 60 days in citing motorists for expired documents.
More information on the DMV and its services can be found here.