Riverside DMV Reopens Thursday Amid Coronavirus

RIVERSIDE, CA — The California Department of Motor Vehicles will reopen 46 more field offices throughout the state on Thursday, including its Riverside East location, for limited in-person transactions.

The DMV is selecting offices to reopen based on location, size, service capacity and the ability to offer enhanced service to commercial driver license customers, according to the state. Behind-the-wheel drive tests continue to be suspended.

To minimize the spread of coronavirus, DMV employees will use physical distancing, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, facial shields and gloves. The DMV is also providing hand-washing stations for customer use in select locations. Customers are required to wear a face covering and remain 6 feet apart in line.

For customers who want to wait outside the building before their turn is called, employees will offer text messaging. Entry into the building will be metered, and customers may experience extended wait times, according to the state.

The DMV, which initially reopened 25 offices earlier this month, continues to encourage customers to use online services, its expanded virtual services and other service channels to complete transactions, including eligible driver license and vehicle registration renewals.

In addition to the Riverside office at 6425 Sycamore Canyon Blvd., the Temecula office at 27851 Diaz Rd. is also reopening Thursday. On May 8, the Palm Desert office reopened, making it the only DMV location in Riverside County to serve customers. All DMV offices shuttered March 27 amid coronavirus.

According to the state, the DMV plans to continue reopening its remaining offices in phases during the coming weeks.

The following services are being offered in-person at all reopened DMV offices:

• Paying registration for a vehicle impounded because of registration-related issues
• Reinstating a suspended or revoked driver license
• Processing commercial driver license transactions
• Applying for a disabled person parking placards (this can also be done by mail using the REG 195 form)
• Adding an ambulance certificate or firefighter endorsement to a driver license
• Verifying a transit training document to drive a transit bus
• Processing DMV Express customers for REAL ID transactions, if time and space allow

The reopened DMV office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The DMV continues to provide essential services via mail, online, kiosks, call centers, available business partners and virtually to process critical transactions, including eligible driver license and vehicle registration renewals, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers can use the Service Advisor on the DMV website to learn their options to complete DMV tasks.

The DMV has taken a number of actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

• Extending driver licenses that expire between March 1 and July 31, 2020. Drivers 70 years and older are receiving a 120-day temporary paper extension in the mail, and drivers 69 and younger can request a free temporary paper extension online.
• Keeping expiring commercial licenses, learner’s permits, endorsements and certificates valid through June 30, 2020.
• Extending identification cards expiring on or after March 4, 2020, to be valid through June 21, 2020.
• Waiving late fees and penalties for vehicle registration renewals due between March 16 and May 31, 2020, and paid within 60 days of the original expiration date, as well as delaying other requirements.
• Temporarily waiving required in-person renewals for eligible driver license and identification cardholders with expirations between March and May 2020. Individuals who meet the criteria are able to renew online or by mail.
• Launching the DMV Virtual Field Office to create new digital options for transactions that previously required an in-person office visit.
• Extending driver license permits expiring between March and August 2020.
• Canceling all behind-the-wheel drive tests to honor social distancing guidelines.
• Suspending extended office hours and Saturday service.