- The agency names and addresses come from the USA.gov state motor vehicle services directory, which lists 54 entries: 50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- We opened 15 of the state sites or pages directly. Another 14 states refused our automated request (the site blocks scripted traffic), so those are not confirmed dead or alive and are marked as directory links.
- For the rest, the link is exactly as the directory gives it. If a link fails, tell us on the contact page and use the USA.gov directory.
Why there is one row per state
There is no federal licensing office. Each state writes its own rules for who can drive, which documents prove identity, what tests apply and what the fees are. Fees and wait times change often and differ everywhere, so this page does not give them. It gives you the one thing that does not change: where the official service lives.
The name on the door varies. Most states say DMV. Others say Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Department of Driver Services, Secretary of State or Department of Licensing. In some states vehicle registration and licensing sit in different agencies. Texas is one: TxDMV's own site sends drivers to the Department of Public Safety to renew a driver license. Alabama is another: its licensing office is part of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Where a row below says Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle or similar, check that the page covers driver's licenses and not only plates and titles.
How to tell the official site from an imitation
- The address ends in
.gov, or in a state-government domain such as.state.xx.us. Search ads often put resellers above the real site. - The site does not promise you a pass, a test date or a faster license for a fee.
- You are asked for your own details, in your own name, and never for a photo of your ID sent to a chat.
- Fees shown are the state's. California's DMV warns about fake websites that look official and charge unnecessary fees.
The 50 states and DC
Agency names and links follow the USA.gov directory. “Opened” means we loaded the page on the date shown.
| State | Agency named in the directory | Official site | Our check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Revenue (motor vehicle) | www.revenue.alabama.gov/division/motor-vehicle/ | Directory link not opened. Licensing is run by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov/dps/driver-license, opened). |
| Alaska | Alaska DMV | dmv.alaska.gov/home/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Arizona | Arizona Motor Vehicle Division | azdot.gov/mvd | Via USA.gov directory |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Motor Vehicle | www.dfa.arkansas.gov/motor-vehicle | Via USA.gov directory |
| California | California DMV | www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Colorado | Colorado DMV | dmv.colorado.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Connecticut | Connecticut DMV | portal.ct.gov/DMV?language=en_US | Via USA.gov directory |
| Delaware | Delaware DMV | www.dmv.de.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | DC DMV | dmv.dc.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Florida | Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles | www.flhsmv.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Driver Services | dds.georgia.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Drivers License | hidot.hawaii.gov/driverslicense/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Idaho | Idaho DMV | itd.idaho.gov/itddmv/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Illinois | Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicles | www.ilsos.gov/departments/vehicles/home.html | Via USA.gov directory |
| Indiana | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles | www.in.gov/bmv/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Iowa | Iowa Drivers and Vehicles | iowadot.gov/driversvehicles | Via USA.gov directory |
| Kansas | Kansas Department of Revenue | www.ksrevenue.gov/dovindex.html | Via USA.gov directory |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Drive | drive.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Express Lane | www.expresslane.org/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Maine | Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles | www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Maryland | Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration | mva.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles | www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-registry-of-motor-vehicles | Via USA.gov directory |
| Michigan | Michigan Secretary of State | www.michigan.gov/sos | Via USA.gov directory |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Online Services | onlineservices.dps.mn.gov/EServices/_/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Motor Vehicle Commission | www.mmvc.ms.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Missouri | Missouri Motor Vehicle | dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Montana | Montana Motor Vehicle Division | mvdmt.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Nebraska | Nebraska DMV | dmv.nebraska.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Nevada | Nevada DMV | dmv.nv.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire DMV | www.dmv.nh.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission | www.nj.gov/mvc/index.html | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division | www.mvd.newmexico.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| New York | New York DMV | dmv.ny.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| North Carolina | North Carolina DMV | www.ncdot.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Department of Transportation | www.dot.nd.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Ohio | Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles | www.bmv.ohio.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Department of Public Safety | oklahoma.gov/dps.html | Via USA.gov directory |
| Oregon | Oregon DMV | www.oregon.gov/odot/DMV/Pages/index.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania DMV | www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island DMV | dmv.ri.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| South Carolina | South Carolina DMV Online | scdmvonline.com/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Motor Vehicle | dor.sd.gov/individuals/motor-vehicle/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Driver Services | www.tn.gov/content/tn/driver-services.html | Via USA.gov directory |
| Texas | Texas DMV (vehicles); licenses are at the Department of Public Safety | www.txdmv.gov/ | Opened. The site itself directs license renewals to the Department of Public Safety (dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license). |
| Utah | Utah DMV | dmv.utah.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Vermont | Vermont DMV | dmv.vermont.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| Virginia | Virginia DMV | www.dmv.virginia.gov/#/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| Washington | Washington Department of Licensing | www.dol.wa.gov/ | Opened October 5, 2026 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia DMV | transportation.wv.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin DMV | wisconsindot.gov/Pages/online-srvcs/external/dmv.aspx | Via USA.gov directory |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Driver Services | www.dot.state.wy.us/driverservices | Via USA.gov directory |
Territories
The same USA.gov directory lists three territories. We did not open these sites.
| Territory | Agency | Official site | Our check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guam | Guam Motor Vehicle Division | www.guamtax.com/about/mvd.html | Via USA.gov directory |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico CESCO | www.cesco.pr.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles | bmv.vi.gov/ | Via USA.gov directory |
Before you rely on a state page
Agency sites change their layouts and their addresses. Treat each link as a starting point and confirm on the page itself that it covers driver's licenses and IDs. Our guide to REAL ID explains the documents most states ask for, and getting a license the legal way shows what a typical online-plus-office process looks like, using California's published steps as the example.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a driver's license?
From your state's licensing agency. USA.gov's directory lists the agency and website for each state and DC. Most states combine an online start with an office visit; the details differ by state. Where a state splits the work, the agency that issues licenses may not be the one that registers cars, so check what the page covers.
Is the DMV a federal agency?
No. Each state runs its own motor vehicle or licensing agency. The federal government sets some standards, such as REAL ID, but does not issue driver's licenses. Many states let you start online but finish in person, and the rules for leaving a state or entering one differ in each.
How do I know a DMV website is real?
Look for a .gov or state-government address, no promises of passing or speeding up, and fees that match the state's published ones. If you are unsure, reach the site through the USA.gov directory instead of a search ad. Be cautious of ads above the agency in search results, and compare any fee with the one the state publishes.
Why does Texas list the DMV but licenses come from DPS?
In Texas, vehicle titles and registration are handled by TxDMV, and the TxDMV site directs driver-license renewals to the Department of Public Safety. Some other states split the work the same way. Alabama is another split example, where the licensing office sits in the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Can I move my license to another state online?
Rules differ by state. Check the new state's agency page in this directory for what it requires and what can be done online. The tool is on the USA.gov directory, and the new state's page is the one that governs what you must do.