August 23, 2023 - Sacramento – With more services moving online, streamlined office transactions, a tighter state budget, and an extended timeline until the federal REAL ID enforcement date, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is closing its three Driver’s License Processing Centers (DLPC) in Southern California.

• The Pacoima DLPC located at 11623 Glenoaks Blvd. closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 1.
• The Fontana DLPC located at 16499 Merrill Ave. closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 8.
• The Anaheim DLPC at 3170 W. Lincoln Ave. closed in March for repairs and will remain permanently closed.

Unlike most field offices that handle all types of DMV tasks, DLPCs only process driver’s license and identification card transactions, with a focus on serving Californians applying for a REAL ID. Since the DMV began issuing REAL IDs in 2018, more than 16 million Californians have gotten a REAL ID. With the U.S. Department of Homeland Security extending the REAL ID enforcement date by an additional two years, nearly every eligible Californian will have had an opportunity to convert to a REAL ID on their normal renewal cycle, typically every five years for driver’s licenses.

The federal enforcement date that requires a REAL ID or other federally approved document to board flights within the United States and access secure federal facilities is May 7, 2025.

After the Anaheim DLPC closed in March, DMV team members were reassigned to nearby offices. Similarly, staff from the Pacoima and Fontana DLPCs will be redirected to nearby DMV locations that can accommodate an increase in customers:

Pacoima DLPC –

• Arleta                                                  14400 Van Nuys Blvd.                             3 miles
• Van Nuys                                            14920 Vanowen Street                           10 miles
• Newhall                                               24427 Newhall Ave.                                 12 miles
• Glendale                                             1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd.                           13 miles
• Winnetka                                            20725 Sherman Way                                16 miles

Fontana DLPC –

• Fontana                                             8026 Hemlock Ave.                                 3 miles
• Rancho Cucamonga                       8629 Hellman Ave.                                  10 miles
• Riverside                                           6280 Brockton Ave.                                 12 miles
• Riverside East                                  6425 Sycamore Canyon Blvd.               18 miles

The additional staff will help to serve the customers who normally would have visited the nearby DLPC, which will help to keep wait times down and maintain availability of appointments in these offices.

Try Online First

The DMV has continued its efforts during the last few years to offer convenient alternatives to visiting a DMV field office, as well as speed up office transactions, which, along with the redirected staff, helps mitigate the impact of the DLPC closures. In the last five years, the DMV has doubled the number of services available online (from 20 in 2018 to 40 today), cut in-office transaction times by two-thirds, removed obstacles so staff can process transactions more quickly, and empowered customers with the tools they need so they can be prepared when they visit an office.

Most DMV tasks do not require an office visit. The DMV encourages customers to use its online services and other service channels to complete transactions that include eligible driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals. Customers can also use the Service Advisor on the DMV website to learn about their options to complete DMV tasks.

To sign up for paperless vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal notices, customers must sign in or create a secure online account at dmv.ca.gov and then opt in.
Source: CA. DMV