After 18 months of behind-the-scenes computer work, the installation of the first phase of the upgraded system will result in the closure of the offices on Nov. 8 in the lead-up to the Nov. 12 rollout of the changes.
Offices also will be closed, as usual, on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, giving officials a long weekend to install and test new hardware and software.
“We’ve done a lot of preparation getting ready for that day. We ask for customers for patience,” said Ken Struemph, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue’s motor vehicle driver license division.
The $63 million makeover was launched by the General Assembly in 2021 as part of an effort to begin upgrading the state’s antiquated computer systems.
Department of Revenue Director Wayne Wallingford said the changes will replace 50 separate computer systems that dated to the 1980s and were costly to maintain.
Wallingford, a former state lawmaker who was an executive at fast-food companies, said he believes motorists will have an easier time getting new licenses and renewing current licenses.
“You live and die on customer service,” Wallingford said.
The plan was funded through an increase in the amount of administrative fees car dealers can charge customers. The current maximum is $587, up from a previous cap of $200.
The department receives 10% of that fee to pay for the upgrades, which could cost a total of more than $100 million.
The goal is to streamline the state’s cumbersome process for titling vehicles and issuing and renewing registrations and driver’s licenses.
Currently, the state’s 4.2 million motorists may have to make multiple stops to collect the various documents needed to get licensing and title work approved.
As an example of the changes, Struemph said motorists who take a driver test with the Missouri State Highway Patrol no longer will have to physically carry a copy of the test to the license office. Instead, the results will be transmitted electronically to the office.
“As with any major system upgrade, we expect instances where processing times will be longer following rollout, and we encourage our customers to plan accordingly,” Struemph said.
Along with the planned closure, there will be some operational changes in the days leading up to the closure.
On Nov. 6, license offices will be open but only available for motor vehicle transactions. Driver license services will be unavailable.
On Nov. 7, some license offices will be closed, while others will remain open for motor vehicle services only.
Wallingford said he is hopeful there will be no significant glitches because the contractor on the project, Colorado -based Fast Enterprises, has done similar work in 21 other states.
“It has been tested pretty thoroughly,” he said.
Once the driver license system is in place, the state will begin a second phase focusing on streamlining motor vehicle licensing.
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