DMV Self Service Terminals – Seems to be a Success
A few years ago, the California DMV, in an effort to better serve California Drivers, as well as reduce in- office wait time and work load, began installing “Self Service Kiosks” in various locations around the State of California. As of January 1, 2018, the DMV reported that 1.5 million transactions had already been conducted on these terminals in 2017. These Self-Service Kiosks handle common DMV transactions like vehicle registration and more recently, registration suspension reinstatements, and submitting or removing an affidavit of non-use.
So what do these new terminals mean for you? Well these terminals are taking off, and an increasing number of transactions are being processed on them. If you remain up to date with registration and license renewals and you handle these transactions by mail or internet, this may not seem like a significant benefit. Consider however, that as these automated terminals increase in popularity, the need for a personal appointment may become less common. Overall, the increased availability of these terminals should help congestion and workflow in local field offices. Time will.
Acting DMV Director Bill Davidson commented that, aside from looking for more services that may be offered by the terminals, they are pleased to note how well the system seems to be working. Currently there are more than 150 “DMV Now” Self-Service Terminals operating throughout California. Many are located at DMV field offices, grocery stores, college campuses and more. You can see all the locations of these terminals on the DMV’s SST Map.