As the holiday season nears, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is encouraging residents to utilize online services rather than visiting DMV offices in person. This appeal comes as unnecessary office visits, upcoming holiday closures, and ongoing staffing shortages contribute to long wait times for appointments and extended lines for Saturday walk-in services in Las Vegas and Reno.
"Spend the holidays with your family and not at the DMV," stated DMV Director Julie Butler. She emphasized the need for customers' cooperation in reducing unnecessary office visits to free up appointments for those who truly require them.
The DMV highlights that vehicle buyers from Nevada dealers should particularly consider online vehicle registration. Currently, about 10,000 buyers each month opt to visit a DMV office instead of registering their vehicles online, with only 48% of eligible individuals using this service.
Vehicle registration renewals present another opportunity for online processing. These can be completed via kiosks, emissions stations, or select AAA offices in Las Vegas and Reno. Despite these options, DMV offices handle approximately 17,000 registration renewals monthly that could be processed through alternative means.
The department estimates over 200,000 transactions annually could be conducted without an in-person visit to the DMV. This situation contributes directly to limited appointment availability and lengthy lines on Saturdays when customers could otherwise spend time with loved ones during the holidays.
"Please start your DMV visit on our website and look at online services first," Butler added. "We have good services but the system only works if people use it."
In light of upcoming holiday closures, DMV offices will be closed for eight business days. These include Veterans Day on November 11-12, Thanksgiving weekend from November 24-27, Christmas from December 24-26, and New Year’s Day on January 2.
Customers are encouraged to save time by exploring available online services at dmv.nv.gov/onlineservices.