The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced a temporary suspension of all DMV offices and related services across the state starting from 2 p.m. this Friday, February 13th, until next Wednesday, February 18th, in order to conduct a large-scale technology system upgrade. Officials are advising the public to avoid visiting DMV offices unless absolutely necessary during this period.
This suspension will affect all services, including in-person transactions, online services, and telephone customer support. The entire system will be fully shut down over the Presidents Day long weekend to facilitate a smooth transition of technology upgrades.
As part of the upgrade plan, voters who need to change their party affiliation for the 2026 primary elections can now use the New York State Board of Elections’ voter registration website until the deadline on February 14th to update their party information.
DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder said this technological upgrade aims to consolidate into a modern unified system, replacing hundreds of outdated software programs, some of which date back to the tenure of former Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
“With this centralized, advanced system, we will eliminate hundreds of outdated applications,” Schroeder said. “I believe this will enable our staff to serve the people of New York more quickly, efficiently, and comprehensively.”
State officials are also urging the public to be patient and understanding during the initial phase of the system update if they encounter any inconvenience.
As part of streamlining operations, DMV is planning another major technology system upgrade in 2028 to further enhance overall administrative efficiency and service quality.