Hoquiam DOL office opens Monday by appointment only

16 driver licensing offices will open by appointment July 13, and this includes Hoquiam.

The Washington State Department of Licensing says that another round of driver licensing office reopenings is set for Monday, July 13, with 16 more locations resuming in-person services by appointment only.

This will bring the total number of reopened offices statewide to 29.

The Department of Licensing (DOL) closed driver licensing offices in late March due to COVID-19 concerns.

They began to reopen in June with the Bellingham, Bremerton, Clarkston, Federal Way, Kennewick, Lacey, Lynnwood, Moses Lake, Parkland, Renton, Spokane, Vancouver North, and Wenatchee locations.

Next to reopen are:

Centralia
Colville
Hoquiam
Kelso
Kent
Mount Vernon
Omak
Pullman
Puyallup
Seattle Downtown
Shoreline
Smokey Point
Spokane Valley
Tacoma
Vancouver East
White Salmon

Appointments are for customers who cannot complete their transaction online, by phone, or by mail. Please be patient, as appointments are very limited.

Services offered by appointment only include:

First-time driver license, including knowledge and skills testing (where offered)
First-time identification card
Enhanced driver license (EDL) and enhanced ID (EID)
Name change on license/ID
Instruction permit
Commercial driver license (CDL) and commercial learner permit (CLP)
Agricultural permit, including knowledge and skills testing (where offered)
Reinstatement, including knowledge and skills testing (where offered)
Occupational restricted license
Driver training school instructor test

Offices will be operating at significantly reduced capacity with social distancing and other safety measures in place.

With the announcement of furloughs for all state workers, days of operation are temporarily reduced. All offices will be closed July 17, and July 24, as well as one weekday per month from August through November.

Customers are urged to go online or call the Customer Service Center (360-902-3900), if possible, to get what they need. Online services are regularly being expanded.

Most residents are eligible to renew their licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations, and instruction permits online.

Driver licenses and instruction permits expiring March 1 through June 30, 2020 were automatically extended for 180 days. Those expiring July 1 through Sept. 30, 2020 were extended for 90 days.

Residents can now apply for a first-time instruction permit online.

Commercial driver licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner permits (CLPs) expiring on or after March 1 were extended to Sept. 30, 2020. All CDL types and endorsements are covered.

DOL also reminds residents that the REAL ID enforcement date has been pushed back a year to Oct. 1, 2021. There will be plenty of time to obtain a compliant document, such as an EDL or EID, before then.

The DOL adds that they are working to reopen all 55 driver licensing offices as quickly and safely as possible. The order is being determined by factors including geographic location, community access, volume history, capacity for safe delivery of service, weekdays open, and staffing considerations.

Vehicle licensing offices (VLOs) are open. VLOs handle vehicle tabs, boat decals, license plates, reports of vehicle sale or transfer of ownership, vehicle/boat registrations, trip permits, replacement titles, disabled parking placards/tabs, and more.

VLOs are not impacted by state worker furloughs and are on normal hours of operation.

How to Make an Appointment

Online, phone, and mail-in services are the first option in most instances.

If an in-person visit to a driver licensing office can’t be avoided, you can make an appointment online or call 360-902-3900 for assistance setting one up. Appointments at the 16 newly reopening offices will be available online starting July 10.

The scheduling system automatically offers the first available dates. If appointment slots are filled, try again the next day. We cannot change an appointment after it is made, so if you need a different date/time, you must cancel your appointment and start over.

When an appointment is made, an email confirmation will be sent with instructions on how to check in to a “virtual lobby” upon arrival. Customers will wait in their vehicle until being invited into the building. There will be signage.

Those who show up to an office without an appointment will be scheduled for a return visit or redirected as needed.

Health and Safety Precautions

To reduce the risk of coronavirus spread, DOL is implementing several health and safety practices at driver licensing offices, including:

DOL employees will be screened for symptoms and wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
Visitors will be required to wear a cloth facial covering over their mouth and nose. They will be asked about symptoms and to wash their hands or use sanitizer prior to entering.
Physical distancing of at least 6 feet will be maintained between employees and visitors.
Hard plastic barriers will be installed at service counters, with 6 feet of distance between lobby chairs and 6-foot markers outside the main entrance.
There will be regular sanitizing of high-touch surfaces/areas.
Visitors showing signs of illness will be required to leave.
Customers will be made aware of requirements prior to scheduling an appointment.
Additional requirements may be needed for skills tests and will be communicated when scheduled.

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