CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Division of Motor Vehicles is working to cut down on wait times by offering appointments at all 26 regional offices across West Virginia again.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, offices in some of West Virginia’s largest population centers were offering appointments with walk-ins, while the smaller area offices were walk-in only. Now, all 26 offices will offer both.
DMV Regional Office Operations Executive Director Cecil Loyd said ever since they switched to a new digital system last month, they’ve seen wait times decrease compared to this time last year.
“We’ve gone down about 5-10 wait times just to be seen,” he told MetroNews Wednesday. “We went from 40 minutes in and out the door to about 22-23 minutes is what we’re averaging right now.”
The DMV is also offering same-day appointments. Loyd said if a customer shows up to one of their offices and there’s a long line, they can go online and book an appointment for that same hour.
About 86 percent of DMV customers are walk-ins, Loyd said.
Loyd said switching to a new digital system has helped the smaller offices who briefly had to stop offering appointments due to the workload.
“Before this current system that we just went through, we had to do everything by paper. You had driver’s licenses, vehicle transactions, knowledge tests, skills tests, everyone had to have a piece of paper to keep up with. It was difficult for those small offices. They didn’t have that much traffic coming through where the busier offices did,” he said. “Now everything is all in this one system where everybody can do everything the same way.”
Appointments may be made for transactions such as: driver’s license knowledge testing including Class E, F, and CDL, applying for a new driver’s license or identification card, changes to a driver’s license or ID card, driver’s license transfers from out-of-state, and vehicle work including titles and license plates.
Customers who take advantage of the REAL ID HeadStart program through DMV’s online services portal may also use the appointment scheduler to make an appointment once their documents have been approved.
To schedule an appointment at one of the 26 DMV regional offices, CLICK HERE.
The DMV eventually wants to offer a QR code for customers to check themselves in to regional offices after making an appointment on their website or by walking in. Loyd said the goal is cut down on wait times even more. The program should roll out in the next year.