For Antigo Times

A new year means a new day of customer service at some Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) service centers. Beginning this Saturday, January 9, Madison East, La Crosse, Eau Claire (Melby Street), Wausau and Appleton DMV service centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Currently, there are Saturday offices open in Milwaukee and a renewal-only office open in Madison. In addition, those DMV service centers which are open 20 hours per week have added registration and titling services.

“Having new Saturday hours will give customers greater opportunities to complete their DMV tasks that can’t easily be done online. Renewing driver licenses and getting a new photo, titling a vehicle and more can now be done on Saturdays at these locations,” said Jim Miller, Bureau of Field Services director.

Customers who simply want to renew their license plates may also use new kiosks. Customers enter their name and vehicle information at the kiosk and pick up their vehicle registration stickers at the counter. Kiosks are available at all Saturday offices and other locations.

Visiting a DMV isn’t always necessary. Many customers are surprised to learn that most routine DMV-related tasks can be done online at wisconsindmv.gov. “Customers really only need to visit a DMV service center once every eight years to renew their driver license,” Miller said.

Tasks such as renewing an ID, titling a vehicle, renewing license plates, and others can be done online 24/7. During regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) online chat or phone support are available to answer questions.

DMV also offers eNotify for annual license plate/registration renewals. This helps customers avoid paying late fees and eliminates reminder postcards. Paperless renewal reminders are sent via text or email and include direct links to DMV vehicle registration for easier, immediate plate renewal.

Only the website with .gov is the official state website. Others with .org and .com are not official and may have extra charges for forms or list information that is dated or incorrect. In addition to the expanding services on its website, WisDOT connects with customers on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WisDOT) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/WisconsinDOT) @WisconsinDOT.