South OC DMV Closure Draws Public Outcry: Report

LAGUNA HILLS, CA — A group of Laguna Woods residents gathered outside Polly's Pies Sept. 26 for a protest against the approaching closure of the nearby Laguna Hills DMV, The Orange County Register reported.

The crowd consisted of about 20 or so people, some carrying signs, the newspaper reported.

The protest comes after the Laguna Hills Department of Motor Vehicles office announced that it would permanently close come this October.

"The Laguna Hills office, which opened in 1987, does not meet the current needs of the DMV," a DMV statement read. "The DMV previously identified a new location in Mission Viejo, but the City of Mission Viejo denied the conditional use permit and the DMV is no longer pursuing another site."

Residents accustomed to completing DMV tasks at an office can continue to do so by accessing the DMV's digitized services online.

The DMV is processing the following tasks through alternative, out-of-office options only, officials said:

• Vehicle registration renewals that are not past the due date or require an address change.
• Driver's license renewals that do not require and in-person visit.
• Request for copies of vehicle registration records, which show a vehicle's ownership history.
• Replacing a lost or stolen driver's license card.

Orange County residents in need of an in-office trip can visit one of the following locations:

• Santa Ana: 1330 East 1st St.
• Costa Mesa: 650 West 19th St.
• San Clemente: 2727 Via Cascadita.

For more information, visit the DMV's website.