SCDMV to Return to Monday through Friday Days of Operation
Staff Report From South Carolina CEO
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Starting Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) will return to operating five days a week at all but two branch office locations. Previously, SCDMV branch offices were open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Allendale and McCormick locations will continue to open on Wednesdays only. Customers must continue to schedule appointments online to maintain social distancing inside branch offices.
"I am excited that DMV operations will return to five days a week. Our focus remains to rapidly provide all DMV services without adversely impacting the health of our team and our customers.” said SCDMV Executive Director Kevin Shwedo. “I appreciate your patience as we continue to leverage social distancing until we get back to normal. Our appointment system is working, and we are also trying to serve walkup customers when we can. We recently surveyed customers coming to SCDMV Branch Offices to find that approximately 50% are able to obtain their service online but chose to come to the DMV anyway because they want their products immediately. We will be able to reduce the workload and the lines much faster if we perform more transactions online and allow products to come to you quickly through the US Postal Service.”
Additionally, all branch offices will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of the week. Previously, the SCDMV did not open until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays to allow for internal staff training. To increase the number of appointments available to serve customers, the SCDMV will open at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays now through Labor Day.
Additionally, all branch offices will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of the week. Previously, the SCDMV did not open until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays to allow for internal staff training. To increase the number of appointments available to serve customers, the SCDMV will open at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays now through Labor Day.
Along with returning to normal days of operations and expanding Wednesday hours, social distancing requirements will remain in effect at all SCDMV Branch Office locations. Customers must continue to adhere to six feet of physical separation between themselves and others while waiting to enter a SCDMV Branch Office. Branch Office lobbies will not be available as waiting areas, and the SCDMV will ensure proper distancing by serving customers using every other counter. Sneeze guards are in place for the protection of both customers and employees. Frequent sanitization will also be a priority of our employees to prevent the spread of germs.
Non-commercial road tests remain suspended, but the SCDMV is assessing several options to resume this service to license drivers. In the interim, a customer in need of a non-commercial road test may contact a licensed driving school in South Carolina to determine if the driving school is offering road tests. The SCDMV will continue to offer motorcycle licensing road tests and will also continue to offer a limited number of commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills tests at select locations.
Customers are encouraged to check the SCDMV website at SCDMVonline.com to see if they can complete their transactions online before attempting to make appointments. Customers can renew their driver’s licenses, purchase duplicate licenses, buy driving records and collision reports, and replace license plates, among other transactions online.
Non-commercial road tests remain suspended, but the SCDMV is assessing several options to resume this service to license drivers. In the interim, a customer in need of a non-commercial road test may contact a licensed driving school in South Carolina to determine if the driving school is offering road tests. The SCDMV will continue to offer motorcycle licensing road tests and will also continue to offer a limited number of commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills tests at select locations.
Customers are encouraged to check the SCDMV website at SCDMVonline.com to see if they can complete their transactions online before attempting to make appointments. Customers can renew their driver’s licenses, purchase duplicate licenses, buy driving records and collision reports, and replace license plates, among other transactions online.
The SCDMV has put extensions in place for expiration dates of some SCDMV products like driver’s licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, disabled parking placards, and temporary license plates. Click here to view the guidance on all extensions.
