New Secretary of State DMV+ Opens in Champaign

New Secretary of State DMV+ Opens in Champaign

State-of-the-Art DMV Offers New Services & Cross-Trained Employees to Create Efficiencies

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office has transformed its Champaign facility into the first DMV+ facility outside of the Chicago area, offering new services and reduced wait times.

The Champaign DMV+ offers Secretary of State services well beyond those available at traditional DMV locations. These include specialized services from its Business, Administrative Hearings, Index and Personnel Departments that would otherwise require an in-person visit to a Secretary of State’s office in Chicago or Springfield.

In addition, the DMV+ utilizes a One-Stop-Shop design that involves cross-training employees to accommodate customers seeking all DMV tasks, including driver services – such as license and ID renewals, REAL IDs and driving tests – and vehicle services, including registration renewals, sticker and plate purchases and title work.

Giannoulias was joined by Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen at the new Champaign DMV+ to cut the ribbon on the new facility.

“The new Champaign DMV+ embodies the progress that we’ve made over the past two years and benefits from synergies generated by all of our modernization initiatives working in concert,” Giannoulias said. “This state-of-the-art facility will dramatically reduce the ‘Time Tax’ residents and businesses pay while eliminating unnecessary trips to our offices in Springfield and Chicago.”

The model allows customers to access services at a single customer service station and reduces the number of steps to create a more intuitive flow. It also frees up space for additional service stations and appointments to accommodate more customers.

The renovation of the Champaign DMV, which first opened at its current location at 2012 Round Barn Road in 2015, began in mid-June but the facility remained open during that time.

The facility was selected for the upgrade using a data-driven approach to spare the roughly 7,000 registered business agents in Champaign and 1,500 in Urbana of an out-of-town trip for many expedited or routine filings and in-person assistance.

The reimagined facility is an appointment-only DMV and is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The facility’s 23 One-Stop-Shop service counters will be staffed by 32 cross-trained employees, including three bilingual Spanish-speaking representatives.

The new services offered in a DMV+ facility include:

Business Services: In-person expedited services; obtaining certified copies of business records; filing documents, including articles of incorporation and amendments for corporations and various types of LLCs; filing reinstatements to return their business to good standing; and filing trademarks with ILSOS.

Index Services: Walk-in service for customers obtaining apostilles and certificates of authority for foreign use documents. Due to the sensitive nature of the documents being certified, customers must provide physical original copies and services are not offered digitally. The DMV+ offers on-site processing and certification.

Personnel Services: Employment testing is required for most entry-level and all DMV employees. The office will also offer a hub of public-use computers for those with limited access or need assistance to submit job applications.

Administrative Hearings: Informal hearings for drivers whose privileges have been suspended or revoked for a single DUI, an offense not involving a fatality or lesser moving violations; reinstatement fee payments.

One Stop-Shop: The Champaign DMV+ is the 20th Secretary of State facility to adopt the One-Stop-Shop model. Employees at One-Stop-Shop DMVs are cross-trained to provide driver’s and vehicle services, allowing customers to access both sets of services at a single customer service counter.

At a single service counter, customers may obtain the following services:

• Renew a driver’s license or state ID

• Apply for a REAL ID

• Register or renew a vehicle registration/obtain vehicle stickers.

• Convert a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL) to a Standard DL.

• Order a new license plate.

• Register to vote.

• Join the Illinois Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.

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