Fullerton DMV Office to Close For Ten Months For Extensive Renovations

Sacramento-The Fullerton office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)-- located at 909 West Valencia Drive-- will be closed for ten months starting Monday, May 16, 2005, for extensive renovations to improve access for disabled customers, modernize the public facilities, replace failing water lines, paint the interior, install new flooring, put in modular furniture and much more. The easiest way to accommodate this work is to close the facility completely for the duration of the project. However, some on-site driver license service will continue in a newly assembled modular building adjacent to the current office site. The new, completely renovated DMV building will reopen for business in March of 2006.

DMV officials say the 31-year old office has never had any sort of major repairs since it opened in 1974. The Fullerton facility is one of several offices slated for maintenance, repairs and/or renovation work during 2005. DMV usually closes about a dozen offices each year for varying lengths of time to make infrastructure repairs or for equipment installation.

The Fullerton office employs 45 full-time and 12 part-time employees who handle almost 300,000 transactions each year. During the renovation, most technicians will be loaned to nearby DMV offices to help handle customers diverted as a result of the closure. The modular building will be open to handle driver license transactions only. Drive tests and registration transactions can be processed at nearby DMV offices.

DMV officials say they will carefully monitor the workload of surrounding offices on a day-by-day basis and move technicians as needed to provide the best customer service possible during the closure. The offices where Fullerton DMV customers will be steered are:

Westminster, 13700 Hoover Street, 11 miles away;
Santa Ana, 1330 East First Street, 11 miles away;
Whittier, 9338 South Painter Avenue, 12 miles away;
Bellflower, 9520 East Artesia Boulevard, 12 miles away;
Compton, 2111 South Santa Fe Avenue, 17 miles away;
Montebello, 424 North Wilcox Avenue, 18 miles away; and
Torrance, 785 West 220th Street, 25 miles away

In a continuing effort to shorten lines and wait times, the DMV wants customers to understand there are a number of service options currently available to them, which if properly utilized, can dramatically reduce the number of transactions handled in any field office on a face-to-face basis. That means shorter lines and wait times.

For example, most routine services the DMV provides can be done by mail; instructions for mailing license or registration renewals are included with the notifications sent out by the Department. Customers can use checks or money orders to renew by mail.

The Internet is also useful for handling many transactions, including driver license and vehicle registration renewals. All that’s needed is DMV paperwork that is sent in the mail several weeks in advance of payment deadlines, personal identification information and a credit card. (Note: The $4 “convenience” fee charged for credit card usage was discontinued almost a year ago. )

The DMV Website may be accessed at www.dmv.ca.gov. Personalized license plates, scheduling for DMV appointments, refund requests, and checking on driving school licensing can also be handled electronically.

But if a face-to-face transaction is necessary, appointments are always encouraged---either by using our new voice-activated phone system at 1-800-921-1117 or the Internet. Customers can use the new phone system to renew and pay for their vehicle registrations as well. Both the Internet and interactive phone options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.