New Canaan Drivers: Norwalk, Stamford DMV Offices Closed Till Saturday

An announcement from the Connecticut Department of Transportation:

The Department of Motor Vehicles’ Offices in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford will be closed Tuesday through Friday (Feb. 17 – 20) for major customer-service upgrades and computer system improvements allowing more online services. Bridgeport and Norwalk offices will open Saturday for their usual 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. hours. The three offices on February 24 will resume their normal schedules.

For customers in areas served by those DMV offices, alternate locations include the Danbury and Hamden DMV offices as well as AAA offices for license and identification card renewals. For a complete list of all DMV and AAA offices, locations and hours, visit ct.gov/dmv/offices.

DMV has announced that various branch offices statewide will alternately close for these service upgrades to allow more online services. Two offices each week will shut while employees have training on how to operate the new system. DMV plans to make an announcement after the training about progress and when customers can expect a startup of the new system.

The following is the closing schedule:

• 2/17 – 2/20 Bridgeport and Norwalk offices, and the Stamford photo license center that is by appointment only.
• 2/24 – 2/27 New Britain and Enfield offices
• 3/3 – 3/6 Willimantic and Norwich offices, and the Putnam satellite office.
• 3/10 – 3/13 Waterbury and Danbury offices, and the Winsted satellite office.
• 3/17 – 3/20 Hamden and Old Saybrook offices
• 3/24 – 3/27 Wethersfield office
• Note: The offices will have their normal half-day Saturday operations.

While two offices will close each week, one of them will continue to handle only learner’s permit test appointments. These comprise one of the highest-in-demand services DMV offers. Customers are advised to check the agency website (ct.gov/dmv) for any updates before going to a branch office.

With these office closings, DMV is advising customers to:

• Expect some delays at branch offices. Check real-time online wait times at ct.gov/dmv or through a download of DMV’s app at ct.gov/dmv/apps
• Don’t wait to renew. Do it now.
• Renew vehicle registrations by mail or online if your renewal indicates you are eligible.
• Go to the nearest AAA office for license renewals to avoid lines. ct.gov/dmv/AAA.

The DMV’s aging computer systems are 40 to 50 years old and lack connections with each other to deliver cost-effective and efficient services to our customers.
One major benefit from the computer change over will be additional vehicle registration services available on the web.Online transactions will include:

• Improving the existing online registration renewal program.
• Online checking for items, such as unpaid property taxes, lack of insurance, delinquent parking violations, which can hold up a registration renewal and cause repeat trips to DMV.
• Reprinting a registration certificate from a home or other computer.
• Canceling a registration online.
• Ordering online special plates, such as vanity plates.
• Ordering online replacements for mangled plates.
• Providing customers with an option for DMV to contact them either by mail or e-mail.

The modernization of DMV’s computers has also paved the way for several other changes. Online services offered already include:

• Learner’s permit testing by appointment.
• Real-time connections to DMV for leasing companies and car dealerships wanting to register vehicles purchased or leased by their customers.
• Checking driver’s license status.
• Viewing wait times at DMV Offices.
• Filling out a vehicle registration form at home and printing it.
• Car dealers being able to renew their business licenses.
• Canceling lost or stolen license plates.
• Registration renewals for vehicle owners who have no outstanding obligations, such as delinquent property taxes, late emissions tests, unpaid parking tickets or other kinds of issues prohibiting renewal.
• International Registration Plan (IRP) renewal payments for trucking companies.
• Registration status checks.
• Vanity plate availability.