MVD

PHOENIX – More in-office visits can now be scheduled online for Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division customers.

Earlier this month, MVD made it possible for customers to go online and schedule in-office appointments for instruction permits, vehicle road tests and motorcycle road tests. Customers can schedule appointments online at AZMVDNow.gov.

Arizona has a lot of unique features – like having a Motor Vehicle Division instead of a Department of Motor Vehicles.

But what might seem like a simple name difference can lead unsuspecting customers to unauthorized websites and scams when they’re simply searching for ways to do business online with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

Most drivers have never heard of the AAMVA Awards, but MVD employees, it's a big deal.

ADOT Director John Halikowski shares a message about the issues facing the Motor Vehicle Division during the public health situation and what the MVD is doing to respond.

PHOENIX -- Arizonans now have more options to show their support for charitable and other worthy causes with five new specialty license plates that debut today.

Specialty plates are available online through ServiceArizona.com. Most cost $25 each year, with an additional $25 per year if the plate is personalized. 

The plates making their first appearance today are: 

PHOENIX - August is the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Saves Lives Month. Working with Donor Network of Arizona, the MVD urges all Arizonans to consider giving the gift of life by becoming an organ donor. 

It was 89 years ago that the Arizona Highway Commission decided to help out local industry by making copper license plates.

PHOENIX – Even during an unprecedented public health emergency, Arizonans have proven to be firmly committed to supporting charitable and other worthy causes through the sale of Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division specialty license plates. 

For fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30, the total proceeds raised by specialty plate sales were $11.4 million, eclipsing the previous year’s mark of $11.2 million. 

ADOT Director John Halikowksi shares his thoughts about the unprecedented challenges now confronting the MVD.

Most people may not be aware of it, but there are lots of people out there who really geek out on license plates. They collect them, hang them on their walls, trade war stories about strange and ancient plates they may have seen or actually possess. Some even go on the road “spotting” for unusual plates.

For our part at the ol’ ADOT Ranch, we love 'em! These are people who like to have fun with an otherwise utilitarian piece of metal, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

PHOENIX – In order to strengthen efforts to protect the health and safety of all Arizonans during the current pandemic, all Arizona Department of Transportation offices, including the Motor Vehicle Division, now require employees and customers to wear face coverings.

“Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our customers and employees,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “COVID-19 is a significant health threat and we are committed to doing everything we can to protect Arizonans, especially those in vulnerable populations.”

PHOENIX - If you’re used to seeing Arizona license plates issued with sequential letters and numbers, those days are slipping away. The ADOT Motor Vehicle Division now issues plates with random sequencing. The change vastly increases the number and type of plates that can be distributed.

“We’ve had some questions about these new plates because it is a big change and it looks so different from what people are used to,” MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards said.

PHOENIX - Throughout this public health situation, Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices have remained open with one caveat: Appointments are required.  

Between a planned computer operating system upgrade and the current public health situation, there has been a lot of changes for the MVD lately. But there has been a silver lining to all of this change.

PHOENIX - Even though ADOT Motor Vehicle Division offices are serving a limited number of customers by appointment only due to the public health situation, customers aren’t limited in their ability to offer the gift of being an organ, eye or tissue donor. 

Since 2017, organ donation has been an option for online customers renewing their vehicle registration, a service that attracts about 250,000 customers a month. The online option of signing up to be a donor after applying for a driver’s license or ID dates back even longer.

As summer arrives, many teens will be spending more time practicing their driving skills and preparing for the driver license test. Along with the preparation can come a struggle between parent and teen of how to drive and who "knows it best." Today's driving quiz aims to help settle the debate. Parents and teens, take the quiz separately to see who really "knows it best!" For those wanting to take the quiz in Spanish, a Spanish version is immediately below the English version. Good luck!

PHOENIX – With Motor Vehicle Division offices currently limited to essential services that require in-person visits by appointment, the Arizona Department of Transportation strongly recommends that customers try going online, visiting Authorized Third Party offices or using the U.S. mail before seeking office appointments.

Due to the current public health situation, MVD offices cannot accept walk-in customers. 

Driver license holders with a past or current suspension: MVD is working with law enforcement to ensure your status is up to date in the new computer system. Please activate your account at azmvdnow.gov to verify your license status. 

Questions? Contact us at: azdot.gov/contact.  

The old saying for athletes is, “No pain, no gain.” 

At the Motor Vehicle Division we are all about reducing the pain of an office visit or using our services online. In fact, over the past few years we’ve made a lot of changes that have increased online service options and significantly reduced wait times in our offices. 

That’s the good news. There’s even better news to come, but, there’s a little bit of pain before we get to the better news.

PHOENIX – The replacement of an obsolete computer system will require a complete shutdown of all Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division services from 5 p.m. Friday, April 17, through Tuesday, April 21. 

This shutdown is a total interruption to all services provided at MVD offices, through Authorized Third Party providers and online at ServiceArizona.com.