DMV to close Port Jefferson office, citing costs, more online services

The New York Department of Motor Vehicles is permanently closing its Port Jefferson office in late August, an attempt to cut costs by redirecting customers online and shifting resources to other locations, officials said Thursday.

After the Port Jefferson office shuts down Aug. 25, customers will be redirected to Suffolk's remaining DMV offices in Dix Hills, Hauppauge, Medford and Riverhead, department officials said in a news release. The DMV operates six offices in Nassau County but three are limited to AAA members.

DMV officials said increased use of its online service led to a decline of in-person visits at the Port Jefferson office, at 1055 Rte. 112, as well as at other locations. The department said it was "consolidating its brick-and-mortar locations in Suffolk County" to make services operate more efficiently and to "best utilize taxpayer resources."

The state DMV said staff would not be cut at Port Jefferson and employees will have the option of relocating to other offices. The Medford office, about eight miles south on Route 112 near the Long Island Expressway, is the closest to Port Jefferson.

“One of the foundational goals of our transformation effort is to change how we operate and to work more effectively in a fiscally responsible manner,” DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said in a statement. “All decisions about our office locations are made with our customers and employees top of mind, and through careful consideration and analysis of the facts and data. Because of the significant expansion of our online footprint, our appointment system, and the processing efficiencies we have gained in the past two years, we see an opportunity to shift our workforce to the other locations in Suffolk County to maximize the capacity in those offices and ultimately to serve our customers better and faster.”

Officials said online service has expanded to allow customers to complete more than 70 transactions remotely, including renewing driver's licenses and vehicle registrations, submitting change of address and paying fees and fines. Customers can also complete in-person visits in less than 30 minutes by booking an appointment online, department officials said.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.