DMV kiosks added at private businesses

Even without the benefit of a home computer, renewing a driver's license or registration doesn't have to mean waiting in line at the department of motor vehicles if one takes advantage of the kiosks installed inside DMV offices and private businesses.

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles has installed new self-service kiosks at private businesses in Reno, Sparks and Las Vegas to add to those used in DMV offices.

Although a kiosk is available inside the Minden DMV office, there are no plans at this time to install others in private businesses in Carson Valley.

Tom Jacobs, public information officer for the DMV, said the difference between the kiosks at the DMV and the ones in private businesses is that the machines in the DMV take cash and give change.

"There's a big cash economy in Nevada so the kiosks are there for the convenience of the motorists and to take care of cash customers," Jacobs said.

"These are the only kiosks in the country to take cash, give change and dispense documents right on the spot."

The department introduced its first kiosks in convenience stores at three Winner's Corner locations in Reno and Sparks. Winner's Corner stores are open 24 hours a day, enabling motorists to use the kiosks after normal business hours. The department has also placed a kiosk at the main office of the California State Automobile Association in Reno.

The first DMV kiosks in private locations were installed at two AAA offices in the Las Vegas area last year. Kiosks are available at all larger DMV offices. Services at both types of locations are identical except that the machines at private locations do not accept cash.

The kiosks accept most credit cards and issue tags and documents on the spot. There is no extra cost to use them. Available services include registration renewals, driver's license renewals and registration reinstatement following an insurance lapse. Driver history printouts will be added in the coming months.

Nevada motorists have completed about 500,000 kiosk transactions since the machines were introduced in the spring of 2004. Kiosk transactions typically take less than three minutes to complete.

The Nevada DMV kiosks won five national awards last year in two separate competitions sponsored by the KioskCom trade show and Self-Service World magazine.

More information at www.dmvnv.com.