OLYMPIA — The Department of Licensing (DOL) is temporarily closing all driver licensing lobbies beginning March 31, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All appointments are being cancelled at this time and no appointments will be made going forward.
“The safety and health of both employees and customers is paramount. Sanitation products continue to be difficult to purchase and ensuring appropriate social distancing during in person transactions is difficult” said Teresa Berntsen, Director of the Department of Licensing. “We appreciate patience and understanding as the Department of Licensing does its part to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Expanded Online Renewals
According to DOL, most Washington residents are now eligible to renew their licenses, identification cards, or vehicle registration online and are strongly encourage to take advantage of these services if at all possible.
Many rules have been relaxed to accommodate online services. Persons under age 24 and over 70 may renew online for the next 30 days, or longer if deemed necessary. Additionally, DOL is also suspending the requirement to visit a licensing office every other renewal.
Mail-in options are also available for a number of transactions, such as vehicle registration, original title transactions, and driver’s license renewal.
REAL ID Enforcement Date Extended
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced that the REAL ID enforcement date has been extended to October 1, 2021. Customers who want a REAL ID will have an opportunity to apply at a later date.
