Every Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) facility in the US has been hit by a network outage that started around 12pm ET.
States are notifying Americans about the issues via social media and DMV websites, with Colorado revealing the outage stems from a third-party organization that provides tools and infrastructure to DMVs.
No timeline for when sites will be operational, which leaves millions of Americans unable to complete vehicle registrations and driving licensing tasks.
Every Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) facility in the US has been hit by a network outage that started around 12pm ET
The secretary of state is advising PEOPLE to call ahead before you visit any DMV, at: 800-252-8980.
The DMV is a state-level government agency due to driving privileges being granted by the state government.
While no details given about the outage, some DMVs are taking to social media to inform the public about the issues.
Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois Secretary of State, made the first announcement about the outage, triggering responses of other states who have issued notices to locals or posted on Elon Musk’s X.
New York State posted: ‘We are aware of ongoing issues impacting transactions in our offices and online, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
‘We are working diligently to get everything back up and running and will let you know when we do.’
One Massachusetts resident shared his frustrations about the DMV outage on X
Illinois Secretary of State made the announcement online: ‘We are currently experiencing a nationwide outage at our DMV facilities’
Colorado issued a notice on its official DMV site, noting the outage has to do with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).
AAMVA provides tools and infrastructure to DMVs across the nation.
‘Most driver license services, including online options, are affected, except driver license knowledge tests, endorsement tests and Commercial Driver’s License instruction permit tests, as well as scheduling hearings and requesting motor vehicle records,’ reads the Colorado DMV’s statement.
‘There currently is no timeline for when services will be restored.’
The outage means Americans are unable to obtain identification cards.
One man waiting at the DMV shared his experience on X.
‘It’s taking me everything to not strangle the clerk working the desk at the DMV,’ he posted.
While no details about the outage have been revealed, some DMVs are taking to social media to inform the public about the issues
‘I’m 0-4 for renewing my license to get the Real ID. Systems down multiple times in a row.’
An Illinois mother posted an image of her and her son on Facebook, sharing the news that he was unable to take his driving lesson because of the outage.
‘When the system at the DMV is down and all you can do is chill in the parking lot,’ she shared.
A similar post on Facebook was shared by an Alabama mother who’s daughter just turned 16 years old and passed her driving test.
However, the teen was unable to get the official card and paperwork due to the systems being down.
Massachusetts is one of the many states unable to process licenses or identification transactions.
A local resident commented on the state’s post shared on X: ‘Figures it would go down today when I pick up my new car.