Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP / Getty Images
New York State is closing all Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices statewide beginning at 2 p.m. today as part of a major technology modernization project. The closure will affect all DMV operations, including in-person services, online transactions, and phone services.
According to an announcement from Monroe County officials, the DMV offices are expected to reopen on Wednesday (February 18), pending approval from state DMV leadership.
During the shutdown, which coincides with the Presidents' Day holiday weekend, the state will migrate approximately 30 million records to a new system. This represents the first phase of a multi-year effort to replace and consolidate aging technology systems—some more than 50 years old.
"With one consolidated, state-of-the-art system, we will be replacing hundreds of software applications," said Mark J. F. Schroeder, State DMV Commissioner. "I truly believe it will give our staff the ability to serve New Yorkers better, faster and more comprehensively than ever before."
Some of the technology being replaced dates back to Governor Nelson Rockefeller's administration. The upgrade is being implemented in partnership with FAST Enterprises, LLC, with a second major upgrade planned for 2028.
While DMV employees have been training with the new system for weeks, officials are requesting patience from customers once services resume.
"Our staff has worked tirelessly to train and prepare for this change," Schroeder added. "However, we ask for patience as we adjust to the new system in the days immediately after it launches."
The closure will also affect the implementation of changes to New York's Driver Point System. These updates, which include higher point values for certain traffic violations, technically took effect in November 2024 but will not be enforceable until 30 days after the commissioner approves the new system.
Residents who need DMV services before mid-February were encouraged to complete their transactions as soon as possible ahead of today's closure.