State Department of Motor Vehicles offices will close for several days next month to allow the state to modernize its antiquated technology systems. The current system is described as a patchwork system that's been in place since the 1960s.
"And that patchwork of software is accessing data lines that have some that haven't been updated since the 1960s in terms of the computer software language, said Madison County Clerk Michael Keville.
It’s taken several years, but the state has finally found a vendor that can deal with all the different lines of information that come into a DMV office, from car sales to criminal records, as well as the peculiarities of New York state, which has a mix of county-run and state-run DMV offices.
"This new system is going to allow us to do two, three, four different transactions, split payment between cash, check credit card, magic phone payments, you know, whatever people have," said Keville. "So it's certainly going to be a better system when all is said and done."
The state has chosen Friday, February 13 to begin implementing the initial phase of the multi-year project modernization project, which is expected to take several days. That means all DMV offices in the state will be closed, and no services will be available, including online or by phone.
"So any kind of business that anybody has to do with DMV, if your expiration dates fall between the 13th and the 18th, get it done ahead of time," said Keville. "And that includes online. The online system for DMV is going to be down for that same period of time until they complete the cutover as wishfully thinking maybe as early as Tuesday afternoon, February 17."
Keville also notes different counties will have different days they’ll be open. For example, Madison County will be closed all day February 13th, and reopening February 19th. Others may be reopening earlier or closing later. And Keville asks the public to be patient once the new systems are in place, suggesting it may take a month or so for DMV clerks to get used to the new system.
"Every office is going to have longer lines after the cut over for at least a month," he said. "It's going to take some time for them to get really comfortable with the new processing. So even if you're coming in for a registration renewal, that for us behind the counter is going to be the same as it is today. There's going to be a line of people slowed down by doing those ID transactions, I think for sure."
The second half of the upgrade is expected to take place in 2028.
