The long wait is nearly over as the new Santa Maria field office for the Department of Motor Vehicles could open in mid-July. 

In preparation for the switch, the existing field office at 523 S. McClelland St. will close for several weeks starting at 5 p.m. June 20, according to DMV officials.

The new field office sits at 2850 Santa Maria Way where it’s set to open at 8 a.m. July 18. DMV representatives said the dates could change.

Among the project’s final exterior tasks, crews completed installing asphalt on the parking lot.

After a lengthy search for a new home, construction began in late 2023 after the project experienced multiple delays since acquiring the land.

“The DMV is committed to modernizing and upgrading its infrastructure to better serve all Californians,” DMV spokesman Ronald Ongtoaboc said. “As part of that commitment, the DMV is building a new Santa Maria office which will be larger and more energy efficient than the current office.”

The current facility, a brick box structure built in 1969, encompasses 3,865 square feet, has 64 parking spaces and is no longer a viable option for a DMV office, according to state budget documents. 

 “To better serve the needs of Santa Maria and neighboring communities, the new building will be three times larger at 13,500 square feet and will feature more customer parking,”  Ongtoaboc said. 

The new facility also has solar panels and boasts Zero Net Energy, meaning it will produce as much energy as it uses. It also meets all current California building and green energy codes to help reduce the carbon footprint. 

DMV initially estimated the building would be completed in November 2024.

It has been common to see a lengthy line of customers waiting outside the existing DMV building as the community has grown.

Since the South McClelland Street office was built, Santa Maria’s population has grown from 32,749 in 1970 to 106,208 in 2017, a 224% population increase, the DMV noted. The price tag for building the new field office once was estimated at $12 million.

Santa Maria city leaders have lobbied for a new DMV field office for years, noting the need to replace the existing facility that sometimes has customer lines stretching around two sides of the building.

The State of California confirmed in early 2019 that it had purchased land in Santa Maria to become the much-needed home for the new field office. 

Escrow closed in November 2018 on the $1.45 million sale.

Meanwhile, the McClelland Street building is expected to show up on the state’s surplus list. The facility sits across from the Santa Maria Court Complex and a few blocks from Santa Maria City Hall. 

To take care of DMV business online or find self-serve kiosks and field offices in the region available during the closure, click here.