Virginia DMV extends validity of licenses and registrations

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is extending the validity of driver's licenses and other forms of identification that have expired for Virginians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Ralph Northam announced

that while a number of DMV offices have been open across Virginia for appointments to handle select in-person tasks, it has remained difficult for many people to get to a DMV if needed.

A number of people have reported to WHSV that they've had trouble trying to book appointments, with DMV offices solidly booked.

Throughout the pandemic, Gov. Northam has gradually extended the expiration date for many DMV credentials, including driver's licenses, other DMV-issued forms of ID, and registrations.

Now, another extension has been issued.

According to the DMV, all driver's licenses and identification cards expiring on or before July 31, 2020, get extensions, to August 31 at the latest.

Any customer whose credential expired between March 15 and May 31 gets 90 days from the expiration date to renew, and credentials expiring from June 1 to July 31 have until August 31 to get renewed.

Vehicle registrations that expire in March, April, and May are also extended for 90 days. Those expiring in June are extended for 60 days and those expiring in July are extended for 30 days.

In addition to the credential extensions, the DMV is reopening several offices in Richmond, Accomack County, and Northern Virginia, which each enter Phase 1 on Friday, May 29, after a two-week delay.

That means, in total, these locations will be open around the state, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

• Richmond Central (2300 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23269)

• Arlington (4150 South Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington, VA 22206)

• Franconia (6306 Grovedale Drive, Alexandria, VA 22310)

• Leesburg (945 Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176)

• Prince William/Manassas (11270 Bulloch Drive, Manassas, VA 20109)

• Tysons Corner (1968 Gallows Road, Vienna, VA 22182)

• Lynchburg (3236 Odd Fellows Road, Lynchburg, VA 24501)

• Newport News (12730 Patrick Henry Drive, Newport News, VA 23602)

• Portsmouth (6400 Bickford Parkway, Portsmouth, VA 23703)

• Charlottesville (2055 Abbey Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911)

• Chesterfield (610 Johnston Willis Drive, Richmond, VA 23236)

• Fredericksburg (5700 Southpoint Centre Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22407)

• Hampton (8109 Roanoke Avenue, Hampton, VA 23605)

• Harrisonburg (3281 Peoples Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22801)

• Roanoke (5220 Valleypark Drive, Roanoke, VA 24019)

• Virginia Beach/Buckner (3551 Buckner Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23453)

These locations will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Onancock (20 North Street, Onancock, VA 23417)

• Emporia (103 Commonwealth Boulevard, Emporia, VA 23847)

• Tazewell (1151 Tazewell Avenue, Tazewell, VA 24651)

• Abingdon (25552 Lee Highway, Abingdon, VA 24211)

• South Boston (2039 Hamilton Boulevard, South Boston, VA 24592)

Anyone wishing to book an appointment for any of the offices that will be open can do so online at

.

All of the offices are running on temporary, extended hours, by appointment only, only for services that require going to the DMV in person.

Transactions they're handling include:

• Original driver’s licenses and identification cards

• Original titles

• Original vehicle registrations

• Disabled parking permits

• Vital records

If any transaction can be conducted online or by mail, the DMV says customers need to use that method. You can find a complete list of the limited services available at DMV offices

>.

As time goes on, the DMV is gradually reopening offices across Virginia as they're able to put appropriate precautions into place.

As part of the phased reopening plan, the DMV will limit the number of customers and employees in each location to ensure social distancing protocols are followed.

Service windows at DMV locations have partitions between the employees and customers, seating will be limited and spaced, and customers will be asked to stay in their cars until 10 minutes before their appointment time.

You can find a full rundown of the plan

.

As the DMV plans to reopen more offices across Virginia through mid-summer, Virginians whose credentials expired during the pandemic do have some flexibility, since driver's licensed and ID cards expiring on or before June 10 were extended by 90 days, vehicle registrations expiring in March and April were extended by 90 days, and registrations expiring in May were extended by 60 days.

In addition, the federal enforcement date for REAL IDs was moved to October 1, 2021.

For the latest from the DMV, you can click

.