LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Starting Monday, you're going to need an appointment to visit the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV announced it will "end most walk-in services and switch to an appointment-only business model" starting on Aug. 15. The change is expected to impact the DMV's six largest offices in Carson City, Henderson, Las Vegas and Reno.
Officials said the decision to end walk-in services was brought on by "sustained staff shortages and high customer demand."
In an effort to compensate for the change, four DMV locations in Henderson and Las Vegas will make an additional 4,000 appointments per week available for scheduling, officials said.
This comes after the DMV has seen a decrease in use of its online services while facing an ongoing staffing shortage, deputy director Tonya Laney stated in a prepared news release.
"The switch to appointments only is the best way to encourage Nevadans to go online while efficiently serving the customers who must come in," Laney stated.
Nevadans who utilize the DMV's six metro offices should know that, Monday through Friday, "only customers with an appointment will be served."
There are some circumstances where walk-ins will be accepted at the DMV's six metropolitan locations. Those include:
- Vehicle movement permits
- License plate drop-offs
- Drivers license reinstatements
- Past-due debts
- Kiosk transactions
- Vehicle inspections
On Saturday, walk-in services will remain the same, DMV officials said. Saturdays, each metro DMV office will accept walk-ins until it reaches capacity, at which point those without an appointment can expect to be turned away.
"The DMV's commercial and rural offices are not affected by this change," officials said.
Officials hope to increase the number of people using the DMV's online services. They estimate that there are more than 200,000 transactions per year where the service could be done online, but a customer chooses to come into an office instead.
UNDER THE RADAR: Unregistered vehicles are 'flying under the radar' on Las Vegas valley roads, Nevada DMV says
In-person vehicle registrations and registration renewals made up the bulk of last year’s unnecessary DMV visits, officials said. Most vehicles purchased from a Nevada dealer can be registered online, but only 47% of those eligible are using this service, they noted.
DMV customers also do not have to wait for a renewal notice to make an appointment. Registrations can be reupped 35 days prior to their expiration date, and driver’s licenses can be renewed a full six months before they expire, officials said.
The DMV also recently asked that those Nevadans who make appointments for services remember to cancel if they can't show up. In June, officials reported that nearly half of people who booked online appointments didn't actually show up. Canceled appointments are immediately made available for another customer to book, they said.
DMV officials stressed that "the future of the DMV is online." The agency is in the midst of a four-year, $114 million "transformation effort" that will gradually expand online services and "fundamentally change" the way it does business. New services are expected to be unveiled gradually over the next few years.
DMV TRANSFORMATION: With growing population and young people in mind, Nevada DMV plans to allow all services online
“We really need your cooperation,” Laney said. “Visit us online first! Don’t just grab your paperwork and head to an office. And don’t wait until the expiration date to renew. Think ahead and make an appointment.”
Currently, there are 108 vacant positions in the DMV Field Services Division and 196 in the Department as a whole, officials said.
The DMV is running two Field Services training academies for about 35 new employees, but hiring and training new staffers will take time. Anyone interested in a DMV position can submit a resume at through the DMV's website here.
