The DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will resume in-person services beginning Tuesday, June 23, as part of Phase 2 of the District’s coronavirus recovery plan. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the service changes at her June 22 news conference.
Residents must make appointments for most DC DMV services online. Appointments for routine business are required in all service centers, adjudication services and the Brentwood Commercial Driver License Office. The Self-Service Vehicle Emissions Inspection Kiosk will re-open with 24/7 access.
Three services require an in-person appointment: first time license and REAL ID conversions, first time title and registrations, and knowledge testing. Excluding these services, Bowser said residents should refrain from going to the DMV and instead access the department’s online resources at dmv.dc.gov.
“Please skip the trip,” she said. “Not everyone has to go in-person. Everything else at the DMV can be done online.”
Additionally, driver’s licenses and other documents scheduled to expire after March 1, 2020, have been extended to 45 days after the end of the District’s public health emergency.
White House Fourth of July
Bowser also addressed President Trump’s plans to host a Fourth of July celebration at the White House. Responding to questions from reporters, Bowser said she expects “pretty significant” traffic mitigation around the celebration to reduce the spread of COVID-19. She added that she expects “some version” of Trump’s proposed celebration to occur.
Moving Forward
Bowser said residents should prepare for a potential spike in cases as Phase 2 begins. While more social activity is permitted — including the reopening of playgrounds, indoor dining, and houses of worship at an 100-person capacity — residents should continue to wear masks, social distance, and get tested if exposed to COVID-19.
Free walk-up testing is available for residents from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at firehouses across the District. Bowser urged residents to exercise caution as Phase 2 begins.
“Know that as you go out, you can encounter the virus in any place,” Bowser said. “You have to be very careful.”
Learn more about Phase 2 by visiting coronavirus.dc.gov/phasetwo.
Eva Herscowitz is a journalism student at Northwestern University currently interning with the Hill Rag. She writes for Northwestern’s student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern. You can reach her at evaherscowitz2023@u.northwestern.edu
