CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Standing in line at your local Division of Motor Vehicles office is no longer a requirement for some DMV services. The agency has expanded its online services to include vehicle registration renewals for many areas along with driver’s license status checks.
Steve Dale, the DMV’s acting commissioner, said the additional online services are part of the DMV’s evolution.
“Back 25 years ago, we only had three offices — one in Charleston, one in Martinsburg and one at Winfield — and so most of our transactions were handled by mail,” he said.
“With the expansion of the regional office network, which has been tremendously popular, now we have 25 offices and, of course, people are utilizing those.”
Even the regional offices, though, can now be bypassed for some services.
Residents in 44 counties are eligible for online vehicle registration renewal for most vehicles, motorcycles, boats and trailers. The new online process guides customers through providing proof of tax payment as part of the renewal. Customers will receive their registration card and decal in the mail within five to seven business days.
“There are a couple of counties that have not gone online with posting their personal property tax records,” Dale said of why online registration is not yet an option in every West Virginia county.
More than 12,000 registrations have been renewed online so far with registrations from Berkeley County, Kanawha County and Monongalia County leading the way.
Duplicate registration cards, decals and plates can also be ordered online and addresses can be changed. Additionally, drivers can search the availability of personalized plates, check their driver’s license status for free or order a detailed driving record for a fee. Fees for driver’s license reinstatements can also be paid online.
The website for the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is located here.
A new law will let drivers renew their licenses every eight years instead of every five years. DMV officials said those license renewals could be another online option as early as next year.