UPDATE ( June 3, 2020 8:33 p.m):
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles announced in a statement Wednesday that the Elkins and Logan Regional Offices joined 10 other offices that are now taking appointments.
Appointments may be made for services that must be accomplished in-person, such as driver’s license knowledge and skills testing, driver’s license and identification card changes, out-of-state transfers, original ID card issuance and salesperson testing, according to the statement.
The following locations are now available for appointments:
- Kanawha City / Charleston
- Winfield
- Elkins
- Logan
- Beckley
- Charles Town / Kearneysville
- Huntington
- Moundsville
- Fairmont
- Flatwoods
- Romney
- Parkersburg
According to officials, Driver’s skills tests will be done at all locations listed above except Winfield.
“We want to thank the great citizens of West Virginia for their patience and understanding. Their safety, as well as the safety of our employees is paramount to us, and we will continue to add the remaining offices for appointments over the coming weeks, as more safety features are installed,” DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier said. Those safety upgrades include plexiglass, masks and cleaning supplies for employees to use, and a new way to do driver skills testing.
Officials stated that new courses have been developed that will allow the driver examiner to observe the driving from outside the car, while the applicant completes the test with a licensed parent or other licensed driver over the age of 21 accompanying the driver in the vehicle.
Commissioner Frazier added, “We are excited to add two more regional offices into our appointment scheduling. We look forward to serving the citizens of West Virginia again in-person, but we also want to remind and encourage customers who can to use our online services and kiosks for those transactions that don’t have to be done in-person.”
To make an appointment, visit the DMV website or call the dedicated phone number at (304) 558-3938.
UPDATE (5/27/20 6:32 p.m.):
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Everett Frazier has announced a new hotline for people to make appointments.
According to a press release, customers who do not have internet access may now make appointments to take their driver’s license knowledge and skills tests, make changes to identification cards or driver’s licenses, obtain an original identification card and do salesperson testing by calling the DMV’s new appointment hotline at 304-558-3938. The hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ORIGINAL STORY (5/18/20 11:20 a.m.):
The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles has announced additional modifications to resume services.
Regional offices are being outfitted with customer safety in mind, and an appointment-based system will be used, according to a press release.
DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier said that the agency will resume the remaining services that were put on hold as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit with some modifications. Beginning May 26, the DMV will offer appointments for services that must be done in-person, including transferring an out-of-state driver’s license, issuing an original identification card, reissuing an ID card or driver’s license with changes, driver knowledge examinations and salesperson knowledge examinations, the release explains.
Appointments will be offered at the following regional office locations:
- Kanawha City/Charleston
- Winfield
- Beckley
- Charles Town/Kearneysville
- Huntington
- Moundsville
- Fairmont
- Flatwoods
- Romney
- Parkersburg
In addition, the DMV said it will resume driver skill examinations on May 26 at nine locations where new courses have been developed that will allow the driver examiner to observe the driving from outside the car while the applicant completes the test with a licensed parent or other licensed driver over the age of 21 accompanying the driver in the vehicle. The nine regional offices conducting driver skills courses include all of the previously listed locations above except Winfield. Additional locations for driver skills tests will be announced as they are made available.
The DMV will unveil an online appointment scheduling app the week of May 18, for appointments beginning May 26. Applicants for a commercial driver’s license have been using an appointment system since March and may continue to do so, the release states. The switch to an appointment-based system will help protect customers from exposure to large crowds and will reduce wait times at the offices. Safety measures in addition to the appointment based system include upgrading the regional offices with Plexiglas wall dividers (in progress), temperature checks and masks for employees, and plenty of cleaning supplies.
To further assist customers, Frazier is modifying the previous 90-day extensions granted for certain expiring documents to a blanket August 1 extension for all documents that expired or expire between March 1 and August 1, according to the release.
This extension applies to the following documents:
- Any driver’s license including graduated driver’s license (levels 1, 2, and 3, and includes February expiration dates) and commercial driver’s license
- Instructional permits, including commercial permits
- Vehicle registration, including temporary vehicle registrations or plates, and IRP registration
The DMV said it has also greatly enhanced the online renewal system so that the vast majority of transactions can be completed remotely, and reminds customers that all title and registration work can be completed by mail or through any of the open license and title agencies across the state. A list of license agencies is available here.
Customers are encouraged to continue to use DMV’s online services portal to handle many of their most requested transactions, including:
- Driver’s license renewal (if no changes, and every other cycle)
- Duplicate driver’s license request
- Vehicle registration renewals
- Duplicate vehicle registration decals and cards
- Print your driving record
- Check your driver’s license status
- A full list of online services may be found here
“We now have a solution for every service that the DMV offers, although the method of delivery may be different than in the past. Necessity is the mother of invention and we hope that the additional online services and appointment-based scheduling system will have a positive impact on customer service long after the pandemic is in our rearview mirror. We have learned to be more flexible and I know that we will continue to make modifications to make our service better than ever,” said Frazier.
For more information, contact the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles at 800-642-9066.