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Division of Motor Vehicles Sets Schedule for Move to New Headquarters

In preparing for the move to the new headquarters in Cranston, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced the Pawtucket DMV branch, located at 100 Main Street, will officially close to the public starting Thursday, August 19th. The new DMV headquarters, located at the Forand Building, 600 New London Avenue in Cranston, will officially open to the public at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 25th.

During the move, other DMV branch locations will continue to maintain their current schedule. The Woonsocket and Middletown branches are open 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; the Wakefield branch is open 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday – Friday; and the Warren branch is open 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Online and mail-in transactions will be accepted and processed during the move. In addition, AAA locations will continue to accept and process DMV transactions for AAA customers. Road tests appointments will be honored during this time, and the DMV Safety and Emission Garage will remain open to the public from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

As part of the move, Operator Control, currently located at Harrington Hall on the Pastore Campus in Cranston, will also relocate to the new DMV headquarters in the Forand building. To accommodate the move, Operator Control will be closed Monday, August 23rd and Tuesday, August 24th, reopening in the Forand building on Wednesday, August 25th.

Please note: written exams for permits and licenses, including commercial drivers’ licenses (CDL), which are only given at the Pawtucket branch, will not be available from August 19th through August 24th. Individuals, who need to take the written exams during that period, should make arrangements to do so before August 19th, or wait until the new DMV headquarters opens on Wednesday, August 25th.

The DMV recently announced additional changes to branch locations and road exams. The Rhode Island Mall branch location will permanently close effective Saturday, August 7, 2010. To accommodate the closing, the Wakefield branch will expand operations to four days per week (8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday – Friday) starting Wednesday, August 11, 2010.

DMV recently completed major renovations at the Wakefield branch to enhance the customer experience. The waiting area was expanded by 2000 square feet and seating capacity increased almost threefold from 65 to 155 seats. In addition, new windows and new air conditioning units were installed, creating a brighter, more comfortable waiting area.

The DMV also announced that beginning Tuesday, August 10, the main testing site for DMV road exams will move to 325 Melrose St. in Providence (the location of the Safety & Emissions Inspections office). Appointments for road tests must be scheduled in advance at any DMV location or by calling 462-5808. Hours of operations for road exams at the Melrose location will be 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Road Exams will also continue to be offered at the DMV Middletown office on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The new Melrose St. road testing facility provides a waiting area for the public, restrooms, and the ability to complete the entire license transaction at a single location. Customers who successfully pass the road test will be able to obtain the temporary license at the Melrose facility, with the permanent license sent by mail within two weeks.

Customers with road exams scheduled in Pawtucket through Friday, August 6, should go to the existing Pawtucket test site at the Lynch Arena on Andrew Ferland Way. Customers with appointments scheduled for the Pawtucket site after August 10, must go to the new Melrose St. facility in Providence.

Please visit the website at www.dmv.ri.gov for hours of operations and other useful information.

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