DMV will serve walk-in customers five days a week, still allow appointments – Richmond.com
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will return to serving walk-in customers five days a week, beginning on Wednesday, but also will continue to offer appointments to those who prefer them.
DMV has been under political pressure to reopen its offices to daily walk-in service after relying on an appointment system for most of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to a budget directive from the General Assembly last August, the department began offering walk-in service three days a week in October, alternating with days when service was delivered by appointment only.
“Very glad to hear it,” said Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax City, who led the assembly push to require DMV to return to walk-in service five days a week. “Should have happened a year ago.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has targeted DMV for “transformation” since taking office in mid-January, said Monday, “As governor, I’m committed to getting government to truly serve and work for the people again – that starts with the DMV.”
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“Therefore, expanding DMV appointments and walk-in availability for in-person service is just the first step to improving the customer service experience across state government,” Youngkin said.
DMV will continue to offer walk-in service on Saturdays, but not appointments.
Under then-Commissioner Rick Holcomb, DMV had been reluctant to return to daily walk-in service because of the continuing threat of COVID-19, as well as what he said was a clear customer preference for appointments instead of waiting in a crowded room to be called for service.
Holcomb, first appointed to the post by then-Gov. George Allen in 1995, introduced the hybrid system last fall after the assembly gave the agency two months to come up with a plan to restore walk-in service.
“We’ve studied the data thoroughly and heard our customers,” Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford said Monday. “We can now meet everyone’s needs by offering the best of both worlds.”
“Although we’ve seen a shift to alternate service options such as online and mail, we also understand that sometimes you just need to visit an office,” Ford said. “We are thrilled to continue offering customers a choice of service opportunities.”
Those options include: more than 50 services online at dmvNOW.com; renewal of driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations by mail; drop-off of title registration applications at DMV offices; vehicle-related services through 57 DMV Select offices; and appointments through 14 mobile teams across the state.
“Increasing options and access for DMV customers is a top priority as we get Virginia open for business,” Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller said Monday.
“This hybrid model will not only better accommodate Virginians’ schedules, but will also allow our DMV to serve more customers, more quickly.”
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