Lincoln City DMV to reopen June 30 after staffing closure
The Oregon Department of Transportation announced that the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) office in Lincoln City will reopen to the public on Tuesday, June 30, after being shuttered for more than two months because of staffing shortages. The temporary closure began April 20, leaving residents on the central coast to travel to Newport or complete transactions online. The DMV has since hired and trained additional employees, allowing the Lincoln City office to resume service with limited hours. The reopening will restore local access to driver license and vehicle registration services just in time for the busy summer travel season.
In its June 26 bulletin, ODOT said the Lincoln City DMV at 4422 NE Devils Lake Blvd., Suite 1, will be open three days a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office will close for a lunch break each day from noon to 1:30 p.m. Customers are encouraged to arrive early, as capacity is limited and the office may close the door before 5 p.m. if the line is too long. Those who need a drive test for a standard passenger vehicle should make an appointment with an approved third-party tester in Newport; the Lincoln City office will not offer drive tests during its initial reopening phase【2202584561122†L50-L55】.
Officials caution that the state DMV faces the same resource challenges it did when the Lincoln City office closed. Oregon’s DMV staffing levels are roughly the same as they were 25 years ago even though the state’s population has grown by more than 800,000 people. That means offices sometimes have to close unexpectedly when vacancies or illnesses coincide. In Lincoln City, the lead worker temporarily assisted the Newport DMV during the closure, but the agency has since recruited and trained additional staff to support both locations. ODOT spokeswoman Chris Crabb said the two offices will work together to ensure high-quality service, but customers should always check the DMV website for the latest hours and closures【2202584561122†L33-L43】.
To reduce demand on brick-and-mortar offices, the DMV is urging customers to take advantage of its “DMV2U” online portal, which offers more than 30 transactions around the clock. Through DMV2U, drivers can renew vehicle registrations, order replacement licenses, change addresses and even start the application process for a federally compliant Real ID. For services that must be done in person—such as Real ID issuance, original driver licenses, or title transfers—customers may be able to visit the Newport DMV, which maintains regular hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday【2202584561122†L45-L55】. The agency’s news release notes that Oregon law limits the number of positions the DMV can hire, so residents should plan ahead and be patient during the busy summer months.
Travelers should also remember that beginning May 3, 2025, anyone boarding a domestic flight or entering certain federal facilities must present a federally accepted ID such as a U.S. passport or Real ID. The DMV encourages customers who want a Real ID to assemble the necessary documents and make an appointment well before the federal enforcement date. For more information about the Lincoln City DMV reopening or to check for unexpected closures, visit oregondmv.com or call 503‑945‑5000.