State drivers licensing service offices closed due to coronavirus

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state Department of Licensing will temporarily close its driver licensing and other service counters to the public starting Tuesday to help limit the spread of coronavirus, officials said.

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The agency said Monday that employees will work in the next week to implement social distance measures at the offices and make it easier for people to renew their driver license or ID card online.

Officials say laws and rules have been temporarily suspended by Gov. Jay Inslee that require residents to visit an office to renew every other time and stopped customers over age 70 from renewing online. The licensing agency also says once it reopens, it will temporarily stop administering vision tests for driver license applicants because they don’t have enough cleaning supplies and that vision exams have a 99.6% pass date.

Offices are expected to resume business March 23 but officials say residents should be prepared for the possibility of extended closures.

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