PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon DMV will close several offices around the state and reduce hours at others as it battles a staffing shortage during its busiest time of the year, the agency announced in a press release Friday.
Oregonians have already been forced to schedule appointments months ahead of time due to the pandemic, and the further reduction in service from the DMV comes amid a continued push by transportation officials for residents to get their Real IDs ahead of the national May 2023 deadline.
Ten DMV locations around the state will reduce their hours starting Tuesday, including the downtown Portland office which will only be open two days a week. Here are the schedule changes:
- Astoria: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except Wednesdays when it will open at 10 a.m.; closed 12:30 to 2 p.m. for lunch
- Canyonville: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays; closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch
- Downtown Portland: Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays
- Heppner: Open 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays only; closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch
- Hermiston: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except for Wednesdays, which will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Junction City: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays
- Klamath Falls: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except opening at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays; closed 12:30 to 2 p.m. for lunch
- Lake Oswego: Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays
- Lincoln City: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays; closed noon to 1:30 p.m. for lunch
- Milton-Freewater: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; closed 12:30 to 2 p.m. for lunch
DMV Administrator Amy Joyce said the agency has had to close some offices in the state without notice when they don’t have enough workers.
“We’re preparing for the busiest time of year for DMV by temporarily redeploying staff to fewer offices,” Joyce said in the prepared release.
Getting a Real ID, as well as other services, require in-person visits which Oregonians can sign up for here. Beginning Tuesday, those visits will need to take place elsewhere for anyone planning on going to the following DMV offices:
- Ashland
- Cave Junction
- Lebanon
- Redmond
- Sandy
- Stayton
Officials said the six locations are closing so that their staff can “reinforce larger nearby offices.”
The closures and schedule reductions are expected to last months.
“We need to stabilize the staffing so customers can know ahead of time which offices are open. As we recruit and train new employees, we will work to reopen offices and restore full business hours, and that will take several months at least,” Joyce said.
Check the status of local offices here.