DMV.com

DMV.com is a privately owned website that is not affiliated with any government agencies.

DMV.com - your advisor for California DMV issues (not from California? Select another state)

Bill of Sale: Comprehensive and Short-form printable documents
Driving Records: Delivered instantly online
Pay Traffic Tickets: Subject to availability by location
Vehicle Registration: Renewals, Replacements and Transfers

Also available online:

California Department of Motor Vehicles Locations and Hours

Updated on Thu, 2/9/2012

FIND CALIFORNIA DMV OFFICE LOCATIONS

Click here to find your local California dmv office location

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE STATE DMV

Telephone

Telephone customer service representatives are available to provide general information from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Wednesday. Pre-recorded general information is available at all other times.

California Department of Motor Vehicles Services

(800) 777-0133 - toll-free, within California

(916) 229-0370 - from out-of-the United States

(800) 368-4327 - TTY (for hearing or speech-impaired individuals)

Alternate phone numbers are available for information about specific topics.

Mail

For driver services mail:

Driver License Inquires

Department of Motor Vehicles

P.O. Box 942890

Sacramento, CA 94290-0001

For vehicle services mail:

Vehicle Registration Operations

Department of Motor Vehicles

P. O. Box 942869 Mail Station E 254

Sacramento, CA 94269-0001

Non-U.S. Citizens can mail:

Department of Motor Vehicles

Customer Communications C-165

P. O. Box 932345

Sacramento, CA 94232-3450

Email

You may also contact the DMV via email with specific questions or issues.

Email form for issues concerning Driver Licenses.
Email form for issues concerning online inquiry form.
Email form for issues concerning intrastate vehicles.
Email form for general information.

LOCATIONS BY REGION

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has locations in all regions throughout the State. Click here to find the DMV office location nearest you.

APPOINTMENTS AND SCHEDULING

Apart from visiting DMV locations to schedule your vision, knowledge and road tests, you may also use the DMV website or contact DMV to schedule certain activities in advance:

Make a road test appointment, or reschedule an existing appointment.
Make an Office Visit appointment for driver services (license, non-driver ID, permit) or vehicle services (title, registration, tags). A maximum of three transactions is allowed to be scheduled online.
Call the DMV at (800) 777-0133 to schedule appointments (if you have more than three transactions, or need to make a road test appointment, you will have to schedule it by talking to a representative during business hours).
Call the DMV Automated Appointment Service at (800) 921-1117 to make appointments for license or registration related transactions.

TYPES OF LOCATIONS

DMV Public Offices handle issues concerning titles, registration, licenses, commercial licenses, non-driver IDs, permits and more. You can also schedule your vision, knowledge and road tests here, although road tests for commercial licenses are performed only at commercial driving test offices. Public Offices are open Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm (excluding Wednesday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), except legal holidays; but timings, services and days of operation vary from office to office. Some Offices are open on Saturdays, 8:00 am-12:00 pm. Please verify the hours and services at your preferred Office before visiting in person.
Commercial Driving Test Offices deal with road tests for commercial licenses. Commercial Driving Test offices are open Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm (excluding Wednesday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), except legal holidays; but timings and days of operation vary from office to office. Some Offices are open on Saturdays, 8:00 am-12:00 pm. Please verify the hours at your preferred Test Office before visiting in person.
Smog Test Stations are available for vehicle inspections. Click here to find a Smog Check Station near you. Operating hours for State Inspection Stations are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm (excluding Wednesday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), except legal holidays; but timings and days of operation vary. Some Offices are open on Saturdays, 8:00 am-12:00 pm. Please verify the hours at your preferred Test Station before visiting in person.
The DMV also has Driver Safety Offices, Investigations Offices and Inspector Offices which offer other specialized services, but are not involved with title, registration or license related transactions.

Add new comment

Reviews of California Department of Motor Vehicles Locations and Hours

Submitted by lobcity on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 21:26.

Do i need to make an appointment in order to take permit test, or do I just go in at the Local DMV and ask to take it? Its vital that i get the answer! (: thanks

Submitted by mattiafochesato on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 20:02.

Hello,

I am a Visiting Student from Italy at Stanford University, holding a J-1 Visa valid for 6 months (Januar- June 2012).

I have got a valid driver license in Italy for driving cars.

During the next 5 monhts, I am not suppose to generally drive in California and however, I was wondering if renting a car for a couple of days would require to me to take the driver license.

In positive case, I would of course apply for it.

I look forward for your reply

Thank you very much

Submitted by heraldgandi on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 00:00.

Do I need to schedule an appointment to take knowledge test?

Submitted by Shuai Wang on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 18:02.

I came to California to visit my sister for a few months, and now I have a business trip visa for half a year,so during this period,can I have a driver license here? what documents I need if I want to have a driver license and what i need to do?Thank you!

Submitted by shawn221 on Wed, 08/31/2011 - 01:24.

My wife and I paid our registration and got our smog but have not received our tags and I am wondering why? its been about a month since we passed smog which we had to do after i paid the 92 dollars fee.

Submitted by anony on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 17:53.

People -- please realize that the DMV DOES NOT READ THIS PAGE! Do not enter you personal information (ex: First and last name, address, Driver's License Number, email address, VIN, SSN, etc.). You will not get a DMV representative to respond to you via this method. Contact the DMV directly by calling the phone number or walking into the office.

Submitted by KENIA024 on Tue, 08/16/2011 - 19:16.

i failed my written test 3 months ago do i have to pay and wait in line to take it again??

Submitted by JKersnar on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 13:35.

attn: Issuance Department

Here's something I'm guessing you don't read very often -- thank you!

As a California resident currently living overseas, I was very concerned that I was having trouble renewing my license last year. But it was wonderful to have such helpful contact with the Issuance Department a few weeks ago -- your service was friendly and efficient, and greatly appreciated.

Submitted by Dazed on Thu, 07/07/2011 - 18:27.

i wanna talk to an actual person not a machine

the phone system does not help at all and just makes me more angry

Submitted by binblesst@aol.com on Sat, 06/04/2011 - 04:16.

Does anyone know if theres a dmv open saturday june 4th 2011?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 16:48.

I paid the fees on time then needed to get the smog it has been over a month since that time and still no tags called today to find out they needed the license number or vin number from the car my name isn't good enough to look up my cars with them or the tags I am on the registration. Held for 15 minutes on the phone just to be told sorry can't get that without it

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 04/13/2011 - 00:35.

Does anyone know how long it takes to receive registration card and stickers through the mail? Paid the registration fees in persons, computer showed I needed my car smog, got that done. Paid the electronic fee. All in the same day, but still NO sticker or registration. Its been a month now.

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 14:36.

This happpened to me too. I made an appointment and went into the Poway, DMV for the third time (once with an appointment and twice without) but the bottom line is they only got some of the needed paperwork that is why they did not do anything. I have to go back again with the documents that I thought they had when I got my car inspected and the guy at the gas station said they (gas station) sends it in to the DMV.....

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/12/2011 - 15:55.

i cannot believe a clerk at the winnetka station took my birth certificate for my drivers license and still spelled my name wrong. now i have to schedule an appt. waite in line, take a day off work to go and fix HER mistake.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 03/22/2011 - 03:08.

the freakin appointment link is a blank page anyone know how to schedule an appointment online?

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 21:50.

Doesn't matter if you make an appointment or not. You will still wait 2-3 hours.

Submitted by nat707 on Tue, 04/05/2011 - 15:42.

Its been like that for over 3 months, and if you call there system is down. Its literally impossible to get an appointment I've been trying for quit a while now and still no luck.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 17:06.

you have to call

sorry buddy

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/04/2011 - 04:06.

Had a car non-op for over a year. Car had a new engine installed last week. Called State Farm insurance and let them know that the car has been repaired and I needed to drive it to get a smog cert. Went to the DMV with copy of Temporary Auto Identification Card for insurance and old registration. After waiting for hours I told the lady that I needed a one day driving pass to get the state required smog done on the car. Was told by the DMV lady I could not because the car registration had been suspended. Yes that is why I was here, to get it re-registered. But first I had to get a ONE DAY driving pass to not be illegally driving in the state. Showed that the car now has insurance and just need the pass to get it smogged!. She said can't help you computer says it is suspended. Yes it was non-op and insurance had suspended it over a year ago. I am showing her the insurance ID card and she still says the computer says suspended. So how do I get a ONE DAY pass to get it smogged??? She says go home and do it online with this site. I went to the registration page and entered the info. It says suspended go to DMV site?? If the DMV office cannot accept the insurance letter from State Farm insurance what am I supposed to do on this site??????????????????????

I have a repaired car sitting in a shop waiting to be picked up and no one at the DMV seems to know what to do??? Man this is so frustrating

Any help from anyone at the DMV would be nice.

PALMDALE, CA - DMV

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 22:08.

tow the car to the smog station

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 14:25.

I had same situation !I called several times to their customer service and every each time I have been told by rep. quite opposite solution. had totally different answer what should I do.It is so frustrating!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/23/2011 - 19:22.

unless I missed it, I could not find out if Ican just call for an appt. to replace a lost DL.

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/14/2011 - 18:42.

i went to dmv taft,ca november 16 2010 and i have yet to recieve mt id ... my boy friend took his driving test the first time ever jan 10 and got his license 2 weeks ago....wow lame

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 02:35.

best way to do things period point blank is to go in person!

THE END!

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 23:52.

i called to DMW in Delano, Ca and they still holding for 2 hours !!!!! what is wrong with them!!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/10/2011 - 06:19.

Same here...I renewed my license early Dec. 2010, my check cleared on the 17th of December...it is Feb. 9, 2011, I still haven't received my new license!!!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 05:20.

Is there a way to check the status of your driver's license renewal? I renewed my license on november 24th, 2010, my temporary id paper expired on january 22nd, 2011.It's been over 2 months and still i have not received my license. What am i suppose to do?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/14/2011 - 18:44.

all you have to do is go in and get another renewal slip

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/02/2011 - 20:46.

I know exactly how you feel. Iordered my renewl on November 17!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 04/13/2011 - 01:27.

This is such an inconvience

Submitted by s.al-ghais on Fri, 01/21/2011 - 22:29.

i want to change my car's plate number how to do it?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/21/2011 - 03:19.

same here...if u get the answer send me on jaspreet1994@live.com

Submitted by kharen on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 00:54.

An error was made on my identification card, do i still have to pay for another one????

Submitted by Tammy Zhao on Fri, 05/14/2010 - 21:27.

I wanna change my address?How to do it?

Submitted by Wilbert Hersman... on Tue, 08/16/2011 - 22:26.

The DMV has my new address - 4074 Farmdale Ave Studio City, CA 91604 since it was newly

registered recently on my new driver's license. (Old address: 7530 Mar Ave La Jolla, CA 92037 -

My name: Wilbert H McGaw. License # J0749580 I truly wish to renew my handicaped driver's certificate and I believe the deterent has been the location change, and my failure to notify the

DMV as I should have. Help please. Thank you. ((818) 508-0415

Submitted by dani altmark on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 14:31.

i wanna change my address

Submitted by SMACIAS on Sun, 05/22/2011 - 21:28.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Submitted by rbtnelson51 on Mon, 07/11/2011 - 23:13.

315 S. Atlantic Blvd. Monterey Park, CA 91754

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 20:08.

i dunno