Gov. Lamont Touts CT DMV Online Transformation

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont touted the Department of Motor Vehicle’s online transaction system as an example of how Connecticut is modernizing its government for the digital era.

Connecticut motorists can now renew driver’s licenses online, so long as they took a photo during their last renewal and meet certain other requirements.

More than 20 different transactions now have an online option, Commissioner Sibongile Magubane said. The state has conducted more than 750,000 online transactions over the past two years.

The DMV has also focused on providing better instructions so that people aren’t turned away from an office when they don’t have the right information.

“Historically, when citizens of Connecticut came to the DMV, it was really luck of the draw if they were able to get through with their transactions, because we were not always clear on what they needed to bring in order to be successful,” she said at a news conference.

The next step is to further integrate the DMV website and appointment system. Currently, a separate appointment needs to be made for each transaction.

Complaints about the DMV were common during the 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Lamont said. People hated taking half a day off of work to get a license renewal. It was also a bad first impression to state government for young people who had to get a learner’s permit or driver’s license.

“People were mad as hell about the DMV,” Lamont said. “And the DMV was sort of the front door in terms of what they saw about state government.”

The state recently modernized its online business platform for one-stop shopping. Business owners can register their business, register new employees, and find information on business assistance programs on one site.

The next step is to bring the same approach to social services, Lamont said.

Connecticut will launch a new website this fall that will unite the Women Including Children and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program process, state Chief Information Officer Mark Raymond said.