NJ Issues Updates On Driver's License, MVC Services Amid COVID-19

NEW JERSEY – New Jersey has issued new updates on driver's license and Motor Vehicle Commission services as customers and lawmakers continue to complain about hours-long delays amid the coronavirus crisis (see below).

Gov. Murphy also signed two bills to help get more driver's out of the MVC lines. Read more: Gov. Murphy Signs 2 Laws To Get NJ Drivers Out Of Long MVC Lines

Murphy said he hasn't ruled out more granting extensions on driver's services as a way to reduce the size of lines waiting outside the MVC agencies.

"We haven't said no to really anything at this point. They're chopping through a tsunami of a backlog," Murphy said.

Here are some examples of the lines:

William Connolly, a spokesman for the MVC, also addressed some issues – and potential myths – that the MVC has been dealing with as it's worked through months of backlog since the MVC reopened in July.

"We are constantly re-evaluating our procedures to see how we can serve the most customers with the least inconvenience during this unique time," he said.

Here is how the MVC is dealing with its issues of long lines and backlog:

• Demand is starting to slow across the state, though it continues to be higher than last year at this time, Connolly said.
• The MVC has caught up on road tests; commercial driver's license testing; driver knowledge testing; and inspections.
• Almost all registration renewals, and a majority of license renewals, are now available online, along with other services such as address changes and duplicates for lost documents.
• Despite a difficult indoor working environment, safety measures so far have proven effective, Connolly said.
• Among the MVC's 1,200-plus employees, the agency has had four COVID-19 positives – two of which were in the same location at roughly the same time – in the nearly 60 days since reopening.
• The MVC continues to expand our online services; for example, the agency recently added the Discover card to its payment options, and will soon allow those with temporary visas to replace a lost license online, he said.

Connolly said the agency continues to combat "myths," including:

• No one needs to camp out overnight, Connolly said.
• On any day other than Saturday, if you arrive by 8 a.m. at all but a few of the MVC centers, you will get a ticket and be served that day.
• The remaining centers report reaching capacity by 10 a.m., so you may need to arrive earlier – in some cases, as early as 6 a.m. – but not overnight, he said.
• Of note, Saturday has always been the busiest day with the longest lines, and continues to be a challenge. "We strongly encourage customers to avoid in-person visits on Saturday if possible," Connolly said.
• No one needs to wait all day. In all cases, once the center opens at 8 a.m., MVC staff will distribute tickets up to the capacity for the day.
• If you are not in the first few dozen, staff will advise you approximately when you need to be back on location for your service, he said. In most cases, they’ll take your cell number and you will get a text – but nobody needs to stand there all day, he said.
• Lines outside are not necessarily a sign of dysfunction, Connolly said. The MVC "simply can’t cram 100 or 200 people inside an agency like we used to," he said..

"We still expect the lines to get shorter, but as long as COVID-19 remains a threat in indoor spaces, there will be people waiting outside the facility under even the best of conditions," he said.

Murphy said he was ready to move on bills pushed by Sen. Anthony M. Bucco, R-Morris, that would give people more time to deal with driver's license and other motor vehicle services, saying: "We'll make news in the next few days."

Bucco sponsored S-2747, which authorizes the MVC to extend the time that a stored driver’s license or identification card photo can be used from 8 years to 12 years.

The legislation also allows stored photos to be used indefinitely for those over the age of 65, and allows for agencies to reserve certain times to provide appointments to senior citizens or those with certain medical conditions during the pandemic.

“I’ve heard from a lot of drivers who were blocked from renewing their licenses on the MVC website because their picture was too old,” said Bucco. “Instead of quickly renewing online, they were forced to get up before dawn to wait on line for hours at the MVC to get a new picture taken. That’s an incredible and unnecessary waste of time."

Allowing the pictures the MVC already has stored to be used for another 4-year renewal, Bucco said, "is an incredibly easy way to save people time and cut lines at agencies."

The second bill, A-4520, allows people who move to New Jersey from other states during the pandemic up to 120 days to obtain a New Jersey driver’s license and to register their vehicle. In normal times, new residents are required to obtain a New Jersey license and registration within 60 days.

“The Murphy Administration failed to come up with an effective reopening plan for the MVC, which has led to ridiculously long lines at agencies and justified frustration for drivers,” said Bucco. “With little help coming from the governor, the Legislature has stepped in with fixes that could help many drivers to skip the trip to the MVC. We put legislative solutions to some of the MVC’s problems on Governor Murphy’s desk. Now he needs to sign the bills into law without delay.”