The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has closed its Madras office at 249 S.W. Third St. for August 14, shifting staff to the Redmond location to address ongoing staffing shortages.
“Oregon DMV has been severely understaffed for years. The number of positions we are allowed by law to fill is roughly the same as it was 25 years ago, yet the state’s population has grown by over 800,000 since then, with nearly all those Oregonians needing DMV services,” the department stated.
The agency cited a funding crisis and a hiring freeze as reasons for reduced service capacity, warning that walk-in customers may face longer waits and no guarantee of being served on a given day. Officials recommend scheduling appointments through DMV2U.oregon.gov for better assurance of in-person service. They also urge customers to check current office status on the DMV website due to possible last-minute closures.
To reduce wait times and improve convenience, Oregon DMV now offers more than 20 transactions online at DMV2U. Customers can also renew or replace registrations and stickers at Express Kiosks located in ten Fred Meyer stores along the I-5 corridor and in Bend, with plans to expand kiosk locations further. Most vehicle transactions—excluding VIN inspections—can be completed by mail.
More information about services is available at oregondmv.com.
