CA DMV Offices To Close For Half-Day Customer Service Training

CALIFORNIA — DMV offices aren't exactly notorious for good customer service. But there's good news: California DMV offices will be shut down for a half-day on July 24 so officials can re-train employees on customer service and better prepare them for REAL ID transactions.

All DMV offices statewide will be closed until 1 p.m. that day, the California Department of Motor Vehicles announced in a statement.

"Our employees are at the heart of every transaction we perform," Kathleen Webb, DMV acting director, said in a statement. "With this commitment to training, we can ensure they have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to provide excellent customer service to the people of California."

More than 5,000 employees at 183 DMV offices will take part in the half-day training, the DMV said.

DMV Call Centers (1-800-777-0133) will remain open during the half-day office closure. Customers also will be able to:

• Conduct transactions online, at dmv.ca.gov, including renewing a vehicle registration, changing an address, requesting a copy of their driving record or making an appointment.
• Conduct transactions at DMV Now self-service kiosks located at grocery stores and select libraries, such as renewing a vehicle registration, filing for planned non-operation (PNO) status, submitting an affidavit of non-use, submitting proof of insurance, and paying a $14 insurance reinstatement fee. A map of kiosks can be found online.
• Registration services also are available at California DMV Business Partners for a fee. Customers can search for partners with this online map.

"Operation Excellence" is an initiative of the DMV Reinvention Strike Team, which Gov. Gavin Newsom created in January to lead a modernization and reinvention of the DMV, emphasizing transparency, worker performance, speed of service and overall consumer satisfaction, the press release said. The Strike Team was created in response to long wait times in DMV field offices, which were exacerbated by the federal government’s REAL ID requirements, according to the DMV.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2020, the federal government will require passengers flying within the U.S. to present a REAL ID-compliant driver license or identification card (or passport/passport card) before boarding a plane. REAL ID-compliant cards or another federally approved document will also be required to enter secure federal facilities such as military bases.

The DMV is already experiencing an increase in demand for its services due to the volume of REAL ID applications, which must be done in person and can't be processed online or over the phone.

"The unprecedented complexity of the REAL ID requirements is what led to the idea that we needed to take the extraordinary step of closing DMV offices for a short time to make sure all employees have consistent information in order to complete the transactions successfully," said Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer, who is leading the DMV Strike Team. "It is a complicated transaction, and we want customers to be well-prepared in order to receive their REAL ID efficiently."

In order to get a Real ID, you'll need to bring these documents with you to the DMV:

1. One identity document, which shows your date of birth, true full name, and identity.

• Examples: valid, unexpired passport, certified copy of birth certificate, or a valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card.
• *If your true full name is not listed on your identity document, you will need to provide a document showing your true full name.

2. One document that contains your full Social Security Number.

• Examples: social security card, W-2 form, Social Security Administration 1099 form, pay stub with your full SSN.

3. Two printed documents that prove your California residency.

• Examples: rental or lease agreement with the signature of the owner/landlord and the tenant/resident, deed or title to residential real property, mortgage bill, or home utility bills.

The application fee costs $36 for a Real ID driver license, or $31 for a Real ID identification card.

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, and enacted the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the federal government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses," according to the California DMV website. The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards, and every state has a more secure driver license today than before the Real ID Act passed, the California DMV said.

To learn more about the Real ID, read: CA Real ID Deadline Approaching — Everything You Need To Know.