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Washingtonians may have some trouble renewing licenses and ordering new car tabs this week, as the Department of Licensing (DOL) is temporarily shutting down its services.
Timeline:
Until February 18, Washington DOL's online services for driver and vehicle licensing will be down, as well as prorate and fuel tax services (PRFT).
A blog post from WA DOL last month said it would be upgrading its systems from Feb. 10-17. Many online services will be unavailable during this time.
DOL driver licensing offices statewide will temporarily close its in-person services from Feb. 14-17. This also includes the call center.
via WA DOL
Once the system upgrades are complete, WA DOL expects long wait times at driver licensing offices. Those who need to make an in-person visit can make an appointment online.
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Some vehicle licensing offices may remain open during the shutdown, as each DOL office is privately run, with the exception of county offices.
Ballard Auto & Vessel Licensing on Market Street in Seattle will remain open until 6 p.m. on Feb. 12, and all day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 13. Anyone who needs to renew vehicle registration, complete title transfers, obtain quick titles, and more can still visit or call this location.
Part-time driver licensing offices will also close next week:
- Wednesday, Feb. 19 — Coulee Dam, Ephrata, Morton, Newport, and Oroville
- Thursday, Feb. 20 — Davenport and Goldendale
There will also be disruptions to prorate and fuel tax services:
- The online Taxpayer Access Point will be unavailable starting Feb. 10.
- PRFT offices in Olympia and Vancouver will close at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 13.
What's next:
WA DOL says the system upgrades include enhancing customer service, adding security features, and better support for mobile devices.
Services should be back online Tuesday, Feb. 18.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Washington State Department of Licensing and Ballard Auto and Vessel Licensing.
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