Shorter lines and faster services could be coming to the DMV

Alexi Chidbachian

LOS ANGELES - Do you hate spending your day at the DMV waiting in line? Well, that could soon change!

The DMV is promising shorter lines and faster services as they introduce new innovations that would make it easier to skip trips to their offices. The state of California is working to move more DMV services online.

<div>SANTA MONICA, CA - DECEMBER 21: General views of the California Department of Motor Vehicles Santa Monica field office on December 21, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)</div>
SANTA MONICA, CA - DECEMBER 21: General views of the California Department of Motor Vehicles Santa Monica field office on December 21, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Starting June 3, the following transactions can be completed online or through DMV self-service kiosks.

  • Simple vehicle registration renewals that are not past the due date.

  • Driver’s license renewals that do not require an in-person visit.

  • Requests for copies of vehicle registration records, which show a vehicle’s ownership history.

  • Requests for copies of driver’s license records, which show a driver’s history.

  • Replacing a lost or stolen driver’s license/identification card.

"Over the past few years, the DMV has digitized many services, improved efficiency and made more than 90% of transactions available online. The DMV is also now offering an improved online customer experience that is faster, easier, and can be personalized," they wrote in a statement Wednesday.

The state says this new move could potentially reduce DMV office visits by 200,000 customers a month – 2.4 million trips in a year.

The DMV has more than doubled the number of online services, from 20 in 2019 to 50 in 2024.

There are 287 DMV Kiosks statewide and can be found in grocery stores, at the DMV, and other local businesses.

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