Niagara County Clerk Announces DMV Closure Schedule for State System Upgrades

Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski today announced the planned closures and schedule changes of the county’s three Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices in February as the New York State DMV begins a large-scale system upgrade next month to modernize its technology platforms and service delivery.  The upgrades impact every DMV across the state.

“This has been a long-planned upgrade from the state that will vastly improve our ability to serve our residents but the scope necessitates we close our office for a few days in February,” said Jastrzemski.  “We encourage people to plan accordingly and make appointments in advance to get your business done.”

Jastrzemski said the DMV offices in Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda will be closed from noon on Friday, February 13, through Tuesday, February 17, which includes the President’s Day holiday.  The offices will reopen to appointments-only from Wednesday, February 18 through Friday, February 20.  Beginning Monday, February 23, the offices will return to regular business.

During the closure time, the state DMV will migrate about 30 million records to the new system and complete the transition to bring the first phase of the upgrade online. Again, no DMV transactions will be able to be completed during this period, including through the state DMV website, and no one will be available to answer phones.

According to the state DMV, the new modernized system will enable employees to process transactions effectively and efficiently in one secure platform rather than moving between outdated systems, further supporting the agency’s goal of one trip to an office and done. It will also bring with it additional online transactions, making it easier for New Yorkers to do what they need on their own time and from the comfort of their own homes. It will also help the agency implement future technology enhancements faster and more seamlessly.