Digital Era—Rolling Out New Modernized Driver License System

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Department of Revenue’s Motor Vehicle and Driver License (MVDL) division is preparing to deploy its modernized driver license and processing system at all license offices, with a launch date of Tues., Nov. 12. Installation of new equipment and the system conversion process for this vital upgrade will necessitate short license office closures. Customers with an expiring November driver license received an additional postcard notifying them of this transition.

While the Department is emphasizing that license offices will be open on election day, Tues., Nov. 5, customers are advised to plan for interruptions to license office operations on the following dates:

Wed., Nov. 6 – License offices are open but only available for motor vehicle transactions. Driver license services will be unavailable.

Thurs., Nov. 7 – Some license offices will be closed, and many will remain open for motor vehicle services only. Driver license services will be unavailable in all offices.

Fri., Nov. 8 – All license offices throughout the state will be closed for system conversion.

Mon. Nov. 11 – Veterans Day. All license offices will be closed statewide in observance of the federal holiday.

“We want to thank our customers in advance for their patience and understanding during the transition. We are confident they will come to agree that it’s a small inconvenience compared to the benefits the modernized system will provide once it becomes fully operational,” said Missouri Department of Revenue Director Wayne Wallingford, referencing the second and final phase of the modernization project, scheduled to roll out in July of 2026. “The second phase will be to the Department’s motor vehicle system, which will enable the two systems to ‘talk’ to each other. This final enhancement will make transactions much more seamless for our customers and our frontline staff.”

Phase II work will begin immediately after Phase I is complete. The in total three-year project was made possible by 2021 legislation creating an auto dealer administrative fee for an Administrative Technology Fund, dedicated to building a new integrated MVDL computer system. The new system will replace antiquated legacy systems within the Department that include more than 50 disparate software programs with limited ability to work together.

“Since early August, the Department has been making available training opportunities for license office staff on the new driver license system,” said the Department’s MVDL Division Director Ken Struemph. “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. Once fully operational, the Department will be much better positioned to fulfill Director Wallingford’s vision of providing every customer the best experience every time.”

Phase I improvements customers can expect include the following:

Easier navigation of eServices, such as online driver license renewals
Eliminating the need for driver test results to be physically taken from the Highway Patrol by the customer to a license office
Mobile identification credentials
A user-friendly system that will reduce Department employee training and ultimately help support staff retention, both of which have associated cost savings.

For additional information on the Department’s system modernization, please visit https://dor.mo.gov/MV-DL/index.html.

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