TUCSON – A widespread power outage has forced the Green Valley Motor Vehicle Division office to be closed on Friday.

Customers who need to complete MVD services during the closure can go online at azmvdnow.gov or servicearizona.com; visit another MVD or Authorized Third Party office location; or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

PHOENIX – Earning an instruction permit and a first driver license are definitely instagrammable moments for teen drivers.

The Arizona Department of Transportation doesn’t want those celebratory events to turn into a nightmare, and reminds freshly-minted drivers to keep their IDs hidden from potential identity thieves.

“Every day at MVD offices, we see teens excited to get their instruction permit and driver license and they want to capture that moment with a photo,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards. “MVD is very conscious about protecting personal-identifying information and we want our youngest customers to be aware that it’s absolutely critical to protect the personal information on their permit or license.”

To that end, MVD has “Safe Selfie” areas at some of the busiest MVD offices, providing a space for triumphant teens to snap a photo in front of a huge banner that displays a distinctively Arizona landscape with a highway sign that reads “New Driver.”

“Be proud of your accomplishment and take that photo,” Bowser Richards added, “but be smart and safe with what you’re allowing others to see, too.”

Remember, protect your ID and keep hidden personal-identifying information such as your full name, address, license or permit number, all of which can be exploited by identity thieves.

Visit azdot.gov for information on getting an instruction permit and first-time driver license.

PHOENIX – Is a road test in your future? Maybe you know someone seeking their first driver license?

This can feel like a daunting process, but there’s good news because the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is offering tips and reminders to help the road test run smoothly. ADOT’s No. 1 piece of advice? Practice, practice, practice.

Driving is a huge responsibility that carries real life-or-death consequences. According to national crash data, more than 90% of crashes are caused by driver behavior -- that includes drivers who choose to speed, drive recklessly, impaired or distracted. To make Arizona’s roads safer, every motorist needs to make better decisions behind the wheel.

And that starts with the driving test.

On the day of the road test, drivers will be observed and graded on specific actions and their general ability to operate the vehicle safely. Studying the Arizona Driver License Manual is a great place to learn and memorize the rules of the road.

The vehicle used for the road test must be in working order and have operational brakes, speedometer, turn signals, seat belts, doors, windows, mirrors, horn and an unobstructed windshield. The applicant must also show proof of insurance and valid vehicle registration.

Only the driver taking the road test and the test administrator are allowed in the vehicle during the test.

In addition to practicing for the road test, make sure that you’re eligible and prepared for the big day. For people older than 18, they must have passed the written test. For applicants younger than 18, they must have had the instruction permit for at least six months and authorization is required from a parent or legal guardian.

Next, fill out a driver license application. You have two choices: the Arizona Travel ID and the non-Travel ID. Both IDs are a driver license, but only the Arizona Travel ID will satisfy REAL ID standards and can be used at TSA checkpoints in airports when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s REAL ID deadline goes into effect on May 3, 2023.

While many MVD services can be completed online, including the written instruction permit test, road tests must be done in-person and are appointment-only. To make an appointment, log in to your account at AZMVDNow.gov or call MVD. Additionally, some Authorized Third Party locations offer road tests.

Because of extreme summer temperatures, ADOT encourages those taking the road test in a vehicle without air conditioning to consider making an early-morning appointment for their safety and the safety of the examiner.

Teens can also earn their driver license by passing the final road skills test at an MVD-certified professional driving school or high school driver education program. Visit azdot.gov/mvd for a complete list of locations.

PHOENIX – Following a temporary halt in license plate production because of an aluminum supply-chain issue, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is again producing and delivering license plates to Arizonans in the normal timeframe.

License plate production crews worked weekends and double shifts to quickly eliminate the backlog and minimize delays for customers. Customers with questions can visit an MVD office or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

In May, an aluminum-supply chain issue temporarily halted license plate production when MVD’s longtime license plate vendor, Arizona Correctional Industries, a branch of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, did not receive a scheduled delivery of aluminum. MVD and its vendors worked quickly to secure aluminum from another source and resume production of license plates.

Various industries have been constrained by a shortage of materials, including aluminum, over the past several months and at least two other states have experienced license plate production issues because of a lack of aluminum.

PHOENIX – Across Arizona, schools have released students for the summer. But some teens have a test in their future, one they might even be looking forward to: the written driver Instruction Permit test.

Typically, June and July are two of the busier months for permit tests for the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. ADOT’s official website – azdot.gov – is a one-stop shop for test-takers, offering all the study material a test-taker will need, including the Arizona Driver License Manual and practice tests.

Remember, when going online to search for information about an Arizona instruction permit, go to the source -- ADOT MVD -- and ignore shady websites that don’t have a user’s best interest in mind.

A person must be at least 15 years and 6 months old to apply for an Instruction Permit and first-time drivers younger than 18 years old have a few options for taking the written test. Most applicants choose to take the test online via Permit Test @ Home at AZMVDNow.gov. Some take the test at an MVD office -- applicants can schedule their in-person test appointment time and date online -- and participating Arizona Professional Driving School trainers can also administer the written test.

The written tests used for all options are identical.

PHOENIX – Greenlee County residents will soon be able to complete motor vehicle and driver services without crossing county lines.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division will reopen its Clifton office on Thursday, June 24. The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursdays every week. With the exception of road tests, all services will be available.

“MVD is pleased to be able to provide in-office service again to the residents of Clifton and Greenlee County,” MVD field operations administrator Michael Cryderman said. “We look forward to serving and meeting the needs of these communities.”

Resolved staffing issues, which were exacerbated by the pandemic, allowed MVD to reopen the office. The Clifton MVD office is located in Three Way, where state highways 75 and 78 meet US 191 near the Greenlee County Airport.

On the days the office isn’t open, customers can complete MVD services by going online at AZMVDNow.gov or ServiceArizona.com; visit an MVD or Authorized Third Party office location in nearby Safford, Willcox or other locations; or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

Two-thirds of all MVD services and transactions can be completed at AZMVDNow.gov. Here’s a sampling of what can be done online:

• Renew vehicle registration
• Renew driver license
• Order a replacement driver license or ID card
• Change your address
• Order specialty and personalized license plates
• Submit a sold notice

More than 2 million Arizonans have activated their accounts and are taking advantage of convenient, self-serve options to complete their business with MVD.

With fire restrictions in place, and to ensure the safety of staff and customers, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office in Globe is temporarily closed. There is no timetable for reopening. 

Customers can complete MVD services by going online at www.azmvdnow.gov or www.servicearizona.com; or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

Two-thirds of all MVD services and transactions can be completed online at www.azmvdnow.gov. Here’s a sampling of what can be done online:

• Renew vehicle registration
• Renew driver license
• Order a replacement driver license or ID card
• Change your address
• Order specialty and personalized license plates
• Submit a sold notice

PHOENIX – The worldwide aluminum shortage that’s constraining production for various industries means there is a temporary interruption in the production of Arizona license plates.

Arizona Correctional Industries (ACI) is a branch of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry and has long produced license plates for the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. ACI did not receive a scheduled delivery of aluminum and currently has none in stock for production. MVD has engaged another vendor, Intellectual Technology, Inc., on an interim basis, as part of MVD’s continuity of operations plan, but the needed switch will result in a delay.

Customers who ordered plates after May 21 will begin receiving most specialty plates the week of June 7, with standard plates beginning to arrive the week of June 14 from the ADOT fulfillment center.

“We regret that customers will experience this delay,” MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “When we learned that our primary vendor didn’t receive the aluminum it was expecting, MVD immediately implemented its backup plan with ITI, a vendor we’ve worked with before, to ensure that plate production could begin as quickly as possible.”

Despite this delay, MVD will continue to process and issue license plate numbers for vehicles. As long as the proper information has been submitted before expiration of a vehicle’s temporary permit, it will show in MVD’s system as valid for law enforcement officers. MVD is in contact with law enforcement agencies statewide, auto dealers, fleet services, commercial trucking groups and other stakeholders, informing them of the situation.

If customers have questions, they can contact MVD at 602-255-0072.

ACI and MVD are not alone in feeling the pinch when it comes to aluminum. At least two other states have encountered license plate production issues in recent months because of supply-chain issues. Other industries, like canned-beverage makers and HVAC companies, have been constrained, too. Even the vendor for the aluminum ADOT uses to produce highway signs is experiencing a delay because it is waiting on material. ADOT has product on-hand and operations are not expected to be affected, at this time.

When production of license plates resumes, customers and motorists will see a new font being used. MVD has been considering a font change for some time, but doing so would have caused an interruption in production. That makes this an ideal time to implement the new font.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division office in Tuba City will soon be more welcoming to customers.

ADOT is replacing Customer Service Representative workstations inside the building, which will create more interior space for customers. In order to make those and other improvements,the office will be closed to customers June 3-8.

Customers who need to complete MVD services during the closure can go online at AZMVDNow.gov or ServiceArizona.com; visit another MVD or Authorized Third Party office location; or call MVD at 602-255-0072.

In addition, MVD locations on the Navajo Nation and in the communities of Holbrook, Flagstaff, Page, and Winslow are also available during normal business hours. 

Two-thirds of all MVD services and transactions can be completed at AZMVDNow.gov. Here’s a sampling of what can be done online:

• Renew vehicle registration
• Renew driver license
• Order a replacement driver license or ID card
• Change your address
• Order specialty and personalized license plates
• Submit a sold notice

More than 2 million Arizonans have activated their accounts and are taking advantage of convenient, self-serve options to complete their business with MVD.