Concerns over the coronavirus have prompted the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to close the Department of Motor Vehicle service centers. The state says only certain in-person transactions will be conducted — and by appointment.
The new restrictions took effect Wednesday.
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DMV Administrator Kristina Boardman says Wisconsin put some initial limitations on in-person visits last month. They include extending driver's license renewals by 60 days, deferrals of emissions testing requirements and expanded online services. Boardman says even though the efforts resulted in a decline in crowds at the service centers, some people were still visiting them.
“We had greeters at the door. We had social distancing expectations in the office. If we couldn’t accommodate them in the office, we needed to have them wait outside. We tried to control that as much as we could, but people are used to coming in and we needed to do something different for the safety of our customers and our employees," Boardman says.
Now, Boardman says in-person visits may only be conducted by appointment and only for essential services, like helping voters who don't drive secure a state photo ID to use at the polls. She says the DMV centers will remain closed until further notice.
