State and local leaders celebrated the opening of the new appointment-only Naperville DMV location at 1771 W. Diehl Road, which is a larger, more streamlined version of the now-closed office on 75th Street.
“I think I can speak for many residents when I say that today’s announcement is long overdue,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at the Monday event.
The Department of Motor Vehicles office, where residents obtain driver’s licenses, register vehicles, purchase license plates and receive other services, had been located at 931 W. 75th Street for more than 30 years. When it opened in 1994, the city’s population was 105,000 people — about 50,000 fewer than today, a secretary of state’s office news release said.
“The numbers speak for themselves. Our Naperville DMV ranks among the busiest and has conducted more transactions than any other DMV in the state outside of Chicago,” Giannoulias said.
Last year, more than 225,000 transactions were processed through the office, he said. This year, it’s on track to surpass that number.
The new location, which boasts an additional 3,000 square feet, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Services offered include driver’s license applications and renewals, REAL ID applications, title work, driving tests, vehicle registration renewals and renewal stickers.
One major feature of the new location is that customers can have all their needs serviced at one counter. At the former DMV, customers would be routed to several counters before completing their tasks.
“Under this model, cross-training between driver service and vehicle service employees allows customers to obtain both service types at a single counter,” Giannoulias said. “This saves customers considerable time and eliminates several steps, resulting in a more seamless experience.”
Four additional staff members have been hired, bringing the total number of employees to 69 and further increasing efficiency of day-to-day operations.
“We are not innovating just for innovation’s sake,” Giannoulias said. “We are trying to make people’s lives easier, rebuild trust in institutions and, again, eliminate the time tax.”
The Naperville DMV is the 23rd location in the state to be upgraded to a more efficient model, he said. Earlier this year, the city of Aurora also received a new DMV model, which included expanded services not typically found at other DMV locations.
“The modernization project is just an incredible initiative that helps so many people,” said state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, whose district includes part of Naperville.
Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli, who was present at the ceremony, emphasized the importance of the agency in people’s lives.
“I think about my experience growing up and going to these types of facilities,” Wehrli said. “It starts when you’re a 15-year-old kid, you’re going there to take the permit test and you go back and suddenly you’re going to be taking your first driving test. … And then it comes full circle. As a parent, you might bring your kids here.”
He connected those personal moments at the DMV, which he described as often being “anxiety-ridden and chaotic” for many people, and the importance of easing and modernizing those experiences for generations to come.
The new Naperville office welcomed its first customers Friday afternoon after the old location closed at noon Thursday.
“This event is about something bigger than a ribbon-cutting,” Giannoulias said. “It’s about making government work better for the people who rely on it everyday.”
