ADOT to issue licenses to DACA recipients Monday

PHOENIX – Based on an order from U.S. District Court, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division will begin processing driver license and identification card applications for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Monday, Dec. 22. Consequently, people visiting Motor Vehicle Division offices for service may experience increased time to complete their business.

Customers to ADOT Motor Vehicle Division offices should anticipate heavier-than-normal customer traffic in the weeks ahead. ADOT will work to serve all customers as efficiently as possible and encourages customers to check office wait times online, and plan accordingly.

Most ADOT Motor Vehicle Division offices are open Monday through Friday (excluding legal holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last customers admitted to the office at 4:30 p.m. Check the website for details on office hours outside the metro areas (www.azdot.gov/mvd).

Driver license applicants who have not previously held an Arizona license must follow all requirements for proving identification, as well as pass both written and on-the-road tests to qualify for a license. For customers age 16-39, a driver license costs $25; instructional permits are $7. Identification cards cost $12. On-the-road tests can take up to 30 minutes, and customers need to arrive before 3 p.m. for road tests. However, offices may reach their road-test capacity earlier in the day, depending on customer demand. Customers may need more than one office visit to complete the licensing process.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients will receive a credential formatted like any other Arizona driver license or identification card. The credential expiration date will correspond to the expiration of the customer’s Employment Authorization Card, as is the standard practice.

Office locations, including wait times, can be found online at www.azdot.gov/mvd. On the Web, information is also available on driver license or identification card application requirements, the driver handbook and online practice tests (www.azdot.gov/practice). Customers are encouraged to complete an application online before visiting an office.

Eight Authorized Third Party offices around the state also offer driver license services (information at www.azdot.gov/thirdpartyDLservices). At Authorized Third Party offices, customers may be charged an additional convenience fee for service. Customers seeking vehicle title or registration transactions may also use Authorized Third Party offices statewide, which are private businesses authorized to provide certain Motor Vehicle Division services. Locations and hours of operation for Authorized Third Party offices are available online at www.azdot.gov/mvd.

More than 20 Motor Vehicle Division transactions can be completed online at www.ServiceArizona.com.

For general questions, contact the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division during normal business hours at 602.255.0072 or send an inquiry via the Web at www.azdot.gov/contact_adot.