News

West Virginia lawmakers consider adding motor vehicle license renewal kiosks

February 27, 2019

A West Virginia legislative committee passed a bill that mandates the placement of kiosks for license plate renewal in order to alleviate lines at Division of Motor Vehicles offices, according to West Virginia MetroNews Network. The bill now goes to the full West Virginia House of Representatives for consideration.

The bill says a county with a population of 25,000 or more without a DMV office within 25 miles of the county seat will have a kiosk within the county. The bill includes a July 1, 2021 deadline to meet this requirement.

Gary Howell, chairman of the House Government Organization Committee, said the DMV has not placed kiosks in rural areas where they are needed.

A note from the DMV said that complying with the requirement would mandate closing offices in Moorefield, Franklin and Welch, which would save $252,350. The DMV said it would add 19 kiosks with a yearly cost of $37,944 per kiosk, totaling $720,936. 

The Government Organization Committee passed the bill with an amendment to keep the DMV offices in Moorefield, Franklin and Welch open. 

DMV Commissioner Pat Reed said kiosks have already been installed in high population or highly trafficked areas. She said additional funding would be needed to place the kiosks statewide.

Reed said the kiosks, which were meant to reduce pressure on DMV staff, have not caught on quickly. The kiosks are limited, she said, as they can only renew licenses if there are no changes needed.