SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — New York State Department of Motor Vehicles offices across the state will temporarily shut down next month as the agency launches the first phase of a new technology system designed to modernize customer service and streamline operations. Starting at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, all DMV offices will close and remain closed through the Presidents Day weekend.
“With one consolidated, state-of-the-art system, we will be replacing hundreds of software applications, some of which date back to the days of Nelson Rockefeller,” said DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder.
NCC News Reporter, Keleigh Arrington reports on the details behind the new modernized technology system shutting down one of the DMVs in Madison County, New York. © Keleigh Arrington
Why it matters
The upgrade is designed to support future services, including faster processing times, improved cybersecurity, and expanded online options. While the temporary shutdown may be inconvenient, DMV officials say the long-term goal is to reduce in-person visits, shorten lines, and create a system that can better handle the volume of New Yorkers who rely on DMV services every day.
“ I think that’s fantastic. I think anything that can move the DMV faster is an amazing thing to do. I hope so, the people who work here that they have made the training and the system user friendly.”
said Customer Heidi Bianco who frequently visits the DMV in Madison County.
DMV officials say employees are receiving training on the new system and expect processing times to improve as staff become more familiar with the technology.
Customers may still experience longer wait times after offices reopen, particularly those whose transactions require additional verification. That includes cases involving name changes, address discrepancies, Real ID documentation, or records that need to be reviewed across multiple databases.
Who does it really affect?
The transition is like switching from an iOS system to Android. The core functions still exist, but everything from where information is stored to how tasks are completed looks and feels different. Buttons are in new places, menus are reorganized, and certain automatic steps require learning a new method.
Clerks who spent years navigating multiple legacy systems built on older software are now learning a single, consolidated platform. That means relearning muscle memory. Something as simple as pulling up a driver’s history or verifying documents may take longer at first because staff must locate those features in a new interface and follow updated prompts.
“I think it’s going to take a good 4 to 6 months before the clerks can process normal transactions quickly enough.
said Madison County’s County Clerk, Michael Keville.
Local impact
Keville explains that the second phase of the project will focus on the vehicle registration side of the DMV, including registrations, titles, and related transactions. That upgrade is expected to roll out in 2028, completing the agency’s transition to a fully modernized system.
“[Right now] we’re upgrading and updating how we’re doing licenses, identity documents, permits in three years. Their moving all of the data [from decades ago] through our software [that] has been accessing these very old servers with very old computer language,”
said Madison County’s County Clerk, Michael Keville.
Once both phases are complete, DMV employees will be able to process driver and vehicle transactions through a single platform, reducing wait times, minimizing errors, and allowing the agency to introduce future technology upgrades more quickly.
How to prepare
As the state prepares for the temporary shutdown, DMV officials are urging New Yorkers who need to renew a license, update a non-driver ID, or complete other transactions to plan. Customers are encouraged to use the agency’s more than 70 online services available through the DMV’s website before offices close, according to a New York State Department of Motor Vehicles press release.
In-person, online, and phone services are expected to resume on Wednesday, Feb. 18, following system testing. New Yorkers are encouraged to monitor the DMV’s social media channels for updates before and after services resume.