Long Lines, Frustration At Toms River, Lakewood MVC Offices

TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you planned to go to the Toms River or Lakewood offices of the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission on Tuesday to get your license or register a vehicle, you might want to rethink that.

In a scene repeated at MVC offices across the state, people waited in a line that wrapped well behind the building in Toms River to get into the office, which was open for the first time in nearly four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The crowds in Lakewood caused the MVC office there to stop allowing customers to line up as of 10 a.m., Lakewood police said.

Adding to the frustration, many people were learning once they arrived at MVC offices that some have been designated only for driver's license transactions, and others are handling only vehicle documentation. In addition, the MVC offices are not handling transactions that can be completed online. Anyone with a transaction that can be done online is being turned away, state officials said.

The Lakewood Scoop reported people camped out at the Lakewood office starting at midnight.

Toms River is the only office in Ocean County handling licenses under the changes. The Lakewood office — which was shut down to additional customers at 10 a.m. — is handling only vehicle transactions.

Sue Fulton, the chief administrator of the Motor Vehicles Commission, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying the commission had sent senior staff members to the busiest offices and had them on-site at 6 a.m., two hours before the offices opened.

"While we understand the frustrations of our customers in this extremely challenging and difficult time, our employees are doing the best they can to keep everyone safe and work as efficiently as possible," Fulton said.

The NJMVC.gov website has a list of available online transactions.

"We have to take care of the people who don’t have other options," Fulton said.

Angry residents took to social media to blast the Motor Vehicles Commission over the confusion.

In Licensing Center agencies, MVC will be processing driver license and ID transactions only:

• First-time licenses and permits (REAL ID will be an option).
• Out-of-state transfers.
• Expired CDLs, TVRs (temporary visa restricted licenses), and any other expired licenses not eligible for online renewal.
• REAL ID, only if:
  • You have a scheduled appointment.
  • You have an email verifying your appointment was cancelled.
  • You are due for renewal of your Standard license or non-driver ID.

• No other REAL ID walk-ins will be allowed.
• No driver knowledge tests at this time.
• No replacements, changes of address, or standard driver license renewals that can be done online at NJMVC.gov.
• No vehicle transactions: no registration or title work will be done at Licensing Centers.

In Vehicle Center agencies, MVC will be processing vehicle transactions only:

• Registration/title transfers for private sales.
• New registrations/titles, individual and in bulk.
• Salvage titles.
• License plate transactions.
• No renewals for unexpired registrations. Those can be done online at NJMVC.gov.
• No driver license or personal ID transactions will be done at Vehicle Centers.

Road tests and inspections resumed June 29.

Expiration dates for driver's licenses, registrations, inspections stickers, and temporary tags have been extended to at least July 31.

The state will keep all MVC centers closed on Mondays throughout July so they can do a deep cleaning of the buildings.

Check the MVC website for the appropriate location for your transaction.

Note: This article has been updated with comment from the state Motor Vehicles Commission.

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