Additional Driver Services Division Updates From Tennessee And Georgia

  • Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security continues to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak closely. At this time, State Driver Services Centers remain open and the Department is currently taking precautions to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers.

It strongly encourages citizens to utilize the e-Services portal for available online services such as renewals, duplicates, paying reinstatement fees, and changing an address to avoid visiting a Driver Services Center. A full list of available transactions can be found at https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/online.html.

In an effort to reduce activity in the Driver Services Centers, the Department is announcing the following changes:

Extending the expiration of Commercial Drivers Licenses and Commercial Driving Permits. These licenses will be extended until June 30 if set to expire between March 12-May 18. All non-CDL licenses will expire six months from the date the license is set to expire. This does not apply to an individual with a Class X license.

Suspend non-CDL knowledge and skills tests until May 18.

Tennessee will temporarily suspend the issuance of REAL ID credentials effective March 25 through May 18.

The requirement that new Tennessee residents obtaining a Tennessee driver license within 30 days of becoming a resident has been extended to June 17.

Allow Med-Cert extension for CDL holders with a medical card expiring between March 12-May 18. CDL holders have until June 30 to submit their new Med-Cert to the Department. The extension is available to CDL holders with a medical card that is currently valid for more than 90 days.

With the above changes going into effect, Driver Services Centers will still be able to process new and returning residents, photo identification licenses (including voter identification credentials), reinstatements, handgun carry permits, CDL knowledge and skills tests and process renewal and duplicate transactions for non U.S. citizens with legal presence. These services are subject to change due to staffing availability. Please check the Department’s website for daily updates for centers that may be closed due to staffing availability.

As announced last week, the Department is also taking the following precautions for the health and safety of employees and customers:

Adopting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing all Driver Services Centers and equipment.

Providing guidance to personnel regarding precautions to minimize risk of exposure for themselves and customers.

Stationing a staff member at the entrance of each Driver Services Center to ensure the number of customers entering the Center does not exceed CDC recommendations.

Encouraging and allowing customers to wait in their vehicles using the Department’s queuing technology (E-Ticketing) until notified by text or call to enter the Driver Services Center.

Providing protective gear for examiners who interact with customers following TSA procedures.

Encouraging customers to use credit or debit cards only to limit handling of cash.

The Department asks that customers who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (coughing, fever, shortness of breath), have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or have traveled to a high-risk area for COVID-19, please consider the health and safety of its employees and other customers and visit a Center at another time.

This remains an ongoing situation and any updates or changes to services in response to the COVID-19 outbreak will be proactively shared.

The Georgia Department of Revenue’s Motor Vehicle Division is extending motor vehicle registrations for Georgia residents that would expire on or after March 16. MVD is automatically extending those registrations through and including Friday, May 15.

That means that motorists may continue to drive on Georgia’s highways and roads using a vehicle registered in Georgia with a registration expiration date on or after March 16, even if the vehicle does not have a replacement 2020 decal. However, motorists must still meet insurance requirements and comply with all other state rules and regulations regarding the vehicle other than timely registration with the local county tag office.

Most motor vehicle owners can renew their registration online at dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles. If available, please do so. Having a current 2020 decal will decrease chances of being pulled over by a law enforcement officer. If the local county tag office is open, people may also renew their registration at the county tag office.

For those motor vehicle owners that cannot renew their registration online or get to the county tag office before their motor vehicle’s registration expires, they may rely on this bulletin if their motor vehicle’s registration expired on or after March 16. Print a copy of this bulletin and place it in your glovebox. 

MVD is also sending copies of this bulletin to Georgia law enforcement agencies, but all officers may not receive the notice before conducting a traffic stop (and officers in other states may not receive it at all). If a law enforcement officer states that the motor vehicle does not have a current decal, the driver can present a copy of this bulletin to notify the officer of the automatic extension granted by MVD.

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