Gordon Friedman, and Junnelle Hogen

Statesman Journal

The 60 Oregon DMV field offices will accept credit and debit cards by the end of summer, said agency spokesman David House.

Two teams of workers are making their way across the state to install new systems. Both Salem locations, 3809 Center St. NE and 4555 Liberty Road S, Suite 300, were part of a pilot program to test the new service and have already been outfitted with credit and debit card equipment.

"I've been with the DMV 31 years, and this is the biggest and best thing that has happened in a while," said Bea Helbert, the customer service manager at the DMV office on Center Street.

The DMV office on Center Street received 10 card readers. Both Salem locations installed the machines May 18, and held training sessions to bring the staff up-to-date.

The DMV had for decades considered how to accept plastic as payment, House said, but the 2 percent service fee was the sticking point. The Legislature formed a task force to modernize DMV services, which recommended the agency absorb transaction service fees.

"It's a really seamless process," said Katie Lawrence, a DMV employee. Lawrence processed the first card transaction at the Center Street location. Inside the DMV on Wednesday afternoon, a number of customers shared similar views.

"I was pleasantly surprised," said Phillip Scanlan, who came into the Center Street branch to renew his license. Scanlan, a Salem resident for the past 21 years, said he had visited the branch a few months before the rollout, and had to remind himself to bring cash.

Erin McDermott and her daughter Sage, 17, were experiencing the shift for the second day in a row -- the two had come to the Center Street branch June 21 for Sage to take her driver's test.

"We found it much easier," McDermott said. "I used to pay in check."

An ATM machine remains in the building. Helbert says it's still functioning, but might be phased out eventually.

House said the DMV will absorb card processing fees and prices for DMV services won't go up. The 2 percent service fee will be taken out of the state's highway fund.

How much will that cost?

"We really don’t have a clue," House said, "because we’ve gone cash or check for so long."

All DMV offices will be outfitted with credit and debit card equipment by the end of September, House said.

Send questions, comments or news tips togfriedman2@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6653. Follow on Twitter@GordonRFriedman.

Also send info to jhogen@statesmanjournal.com; 503-399-6802 or follow on Twitter at @JunnelleH.

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