Washington County License Centers Remain Open For Business

Washington County's three license centers remain open for business during the Minnesota government shutdown, though some people have had issues getting Department of Natural Resources licenses and registration, according to a Tuesday morning release from the county.

The shutdown has affected a couple of the transactions available at the three license centers—in Stillwater, Forest Lake and —but most of the core services remain available to customers.

The county license centers serve as agents of the state of Minnesota to provide many state services and transactions, including motor vehicle registration and titling, drivers license applications and renewals, game and fish licensure, and boat and all terrain vehicle (ATV) licensure.

“There have been a lot of questions from customers about the shutdown and its impact on the county license centers,” Kevin Corbid, county director of Property Records and Taxpayer Services, said in a statement. “We are open our normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays.”

The biggest impact from the shutdown is the inability of the license centers to sell Department of Natural Resources (DNR) licenses and registration. Customers are not able to purchase hunting or fishing licenses, or register or renew a license for a boat, ATV or snowmobile because the DNR licensing system has been shut down.

However, the license centers are still able to complete nearly all other transactions, according to the release. These include:

• Motor vehicle registration renewals (tabs). The license centers are able to sell tabs to all customers. Customers should note that the state on-line system for tab renewals has been shut down, and state employees are not available to process renewals if they are mailed to the state. The best option for customers is to visit a local license center in person to complete their renewals.
• Driver’s license renewals. License center staff can accept applications for renewals, conduct the eye test and take a new photo. Customers will receive the yellow temporary copy as their receipt.  Customers will receive the new driver’s license card after the state shutdown is over. (Customers should note that state offices that provide written tests for new applications and the road tests are affected by the shutdown and are closed until the shutdown is over.)
• Motor vehicle title transfers. License center staff can accept and process the paperwork for a title transfer. The return of the new title will be delayed until after the shutdown is over.
• Passport application and passport photos. License center staff can accept and process applications for passports as normal. There is no impact on this function from the shutdown.
• Vital records, including birth records, death records and marriage licenses. There is no impact from the state shutdown and staff can process these requests at each of the locations.

“Each of our license centers was very busy the week prior to the shutdown in anticipation of a possible shutdown,” said Corbid. “Now that the shutdown has occurred, we want our customers to know that we are open still and can process most transactions.” 

The license centers are at Valley Ridge Mall, 1520 W. Frontage Road in Stillwater; 2150 Radio Drive in Woodbury; and 19955 Forest Road N. in Forest Lake.

Customers with any questions regarding the services available in the license centers or the service hours may call the Department of Property Records and Taxpayer Services at 651-430-6175.