Visitors must wear masks.
Glen Burnie, Md (KM) A select number of Motor Vehicle Administration branch offices are partially open as of this week, including the one in Frederick.
MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer says safety measures have been put in place for customers and staff. “We’ve installed Plexiglas at all the customer-facing areas. You’ll find you have to make an appointment in order to come. We can control the number of people in the branch office at any given time. You’ll also be asked a few screening questions before you enter the building, and we will request that you wear a face covering,” Nizer says.
MVA offices were closed in March to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
During the time the offices were closed, Nizer says staff handled a lot of transactions on line, by the mail or MVA kiosks. “We definitely are encouraging customers to take advantage of the many services. So even when the branch offices were closed, we processed more 740,000 transactions. That was by mail, by website and kiosk transactions,” she said.
MVA was encouraging people to handle all their business over the internet, or through the mail and kiosk even before the coronavirus, and Nizer says that’s expected to continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. “We’re really appreciative that customers did look for those other alternative services. And we’ve also been expanding the available technology,” says Nizer.
Some of the transactions with the MVA that can be done without entering a branch office include: obtaining duplication or additional registration cards; vehicle registration renewals; insurance compliance payments; identification card renewals; title replacements; change of address; driving records; license plate purchase and replacements; temporary registrations; information on administrative flag fees; Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program test date extensions; driver’s license renewals; and substitute stickers.
But customers can schedule appointments for learners’ permits; commercial driving tests; non-commercial driving tests; renewing driver’s licenses and identification cards; and title work.
MVA is also making it easier for motorists who may have some problems with renewing their licenses. “We’ve got a modification to allow people that have flags–normally that would stop them–but because they can’t resolve them right now with other jurisdictions, we are letting them do a one-year renewal in order to be able to get through the process,” Nizer says.
The MVA is setting up Central Scheduling System to handle request for appointments But first the agency must contact customers to reschedule appointments which were cancelled during the closure. Once the Central Scheduling System is set up, citizens can go on line to mvascheduling.maryland.gov,and make an appointment.
By Kevin McManus