COVID-19 Information on Closures of

Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Locations

Protecting Against COVID-19

On Wednesday, March 18, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that 181 deputy registrar agencies and 52 driver examination stations would close at the end of the business day.



On May 26, Deputy Registrar locations reopened to the public.



However, there is no rush to renew. In fact, customers are encouraged NOT to immediately visit a license agency.



If a customer’s license, ID card, or vehicle registration (including plates and stickers) expired on or after March 9, 2020, the expiration date has been automatically extended until 90 days after Ohio's state of emergency ends or December 1, 2020, whichever comes first.



If it is absolutely necessary to visit an agency (for example, a customer’s ID has been lost), please know things might look a little different and staff will be enforcing social distancing for everyone's safety.



Use the BMV’s checklists for a federally-compliant or standard credential for correct documents needed before visiting the agency.



Get in line, online before visiting the agency.



On June 12, driver examination stations began resuming in-car skills testing at select locations. The following examination stations are now open by appointment only . They are:

990 Morse Road, Suite B, Columbus, Ohio 43229 (Franklin County) 873 East Main Street, Newark, Ohio 43055 (Licking County) 8210 County Rd. 140, Suite C, Findlay, Ohio 45840 (Hancock County) 6134 Chambersburg Road, Huber Heights, OH 45424 (Montgomery County) 22133 Rockside Road, Bedford, Ohio 44146 (Cuyahoga County) 502 McCarty Lane, Suite 3, Jackson, Ohio 45640 (Jackson County) 10940 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45231 (Hamilton County) 21 5th Street SE, Barberton, OH 44203 (Summit County) 5555 Youngstown Warren Road #203, Niles, OH 44446 (Trumbull County) 601 Ledbetter Dr. STE C, Xenia, OH 45385 (Greene County) 1616 E. Wooster Street, Suite 27 Bowling Green, OH 43402 (Wood County) 142 Gross Street, Suite B, Marietta, OH 45750 (Washington County) 2324 June Parkway, Zanesville, OH 43701 (Muskingum County) 12000 Snow Road, Suite 16, Parma OH 44130 (Cuyahoga County)

. They are:

Customers should call 877-439-8378 or use the BMV’s Live Chat feature to schedule a skills test appointment.



Please be advised there is a substantial number of applicants waiting to take the skills test due to the COVID-19. The BMV anticipates a heavy call volume for the scheduling process and appreciates customers’ patience. The BMV is working on adding additional locations for testing.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol will not issue tickets to drivers whose licenses recently expired or expire while BMV's services are unavailable. Governor DeWine has recommended that other law enforcement agencies in Ohio do the same.

A number of other state registry/licensing agencies also are suspending operations and license issuance. Ohio BMV will be in communication with law enforcement in other states regarding driver license expiration enforcement. Discussions have begun with bordering states.



On Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the Ohio Department of Insurance notified all insurers that, effective immediately, they must not cancel, non-renew, or refuse to issue a policy of automobile insurance, or deny a claim solely because the driver license of a named insured or other covered family member has expired since Governor DeWine’s March 9, 2020, declaration of emergency.



Additionally, the automobile insurance premium amounts charged for new or renewal automobile insurance policies must not be calculated in a manner that will adversely impact the policyholder due to an insured driver’s inability to renew his or her license. The Ohio Department of Insurance Superintendent does not expect insurers to submit filings in order to provide policyholders with flexibility. This practice expires 30 days after the expiration of the state of emergency declared by Governor DeWine on March 9, 2020.



Customers that recently purchased a vehicle at a dealership may obtain a temporary tag at that time, if available. If the dealership does not sell temporary tags or the vehicle was purchased through a casual sale (person to person), customers can purchase a temporary tag through BMV Online Services: www.oplates.com. Customers will need to upload a copy of their driver license or ID, the front and back of the title (notarized to the buyer), or the bill of vehicle registration; the 90-day temporary tag will be mailed to the address registered to the vehicle.



The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has granted a six month extension on E-checks for all vehicles that require an e-check from February 1, 2020, through July 31, 2020. Ohio BMV is providing an automatic extension so that motorists can renew their vehicle's registration without a passing E-Check certificate. Customers have the ability to complete an online www.oplates.com, mail-in, or IVR registration renewal without being prompted for an E-Check certification. Go to ohioecheck.org for updates and information.



The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that they will accept licenses that have expired since March 1, 2020, as valid for airline travel.



On March 26, 2020, the United States Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID deadline one year to October 1, 2021.



Ohioans are only required to have their driver license or state ID number to apply for unemployment. For additional identification information related to unemployment, visit: http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/CoronavirusAndUI.stm.



Customers can reach out to the BMV directly by calling 844-644-6268.



For answers to your COVID-19 questions, call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call the COVID-19 CareLine at 1-800-720-9616.

Protect yourself and others from COVID-19 by taking these precautions.

Stay home except for work or other needs

Wear a face covering when going out

Practice social distancing of at least 6 feet from others

Shop at non-peak hours.

Wash hands often with water and soap (20 seconds or longer)

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth with unwashed hands or after touching surfaces

Cover your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing

Clean and disinfect "high-touch" surfaces often

Don’t work when sick

Call before visiting your doctor



If you have questions regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19 please call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634)

CLEAN ALL "HIGH-TOUCH" SURFACES EVERY DAY

High touch surfaces include counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables. Also, clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them. Use a household cleaning spray or wipe according to the label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions you should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.



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