California DMV closes Inglewood office due to water damage

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced the closure of its Inglewood office, located at 621 N. La Brea Ave., effective from noon on February 11. The decision comes as the department begins preparations to construct a new facility aimed at better serving the community's needs.

Originally, the DMV had intended to close the office later in the year when construction was set to commence. However, persistent water damage and safety concerns prompted an earlier shutdown. "After multiple repair efforts failed to mitigate continuous water issues and safety concerns, the department determined short-term repairs would not be cost-effective," stated a DMV representative. The existing building has been in use since 1972.

In light of this closure, customers are encouraged to utilize online services or visit nearby offices. The Culver City office at 11400 W. Washington Blvd., five miles away from Inglewood, has added six workstations to accommodate increased customer flow. Other nearby options include offices in Hawthorne (3700 W. El Segundo Blvd.), Los Angeles (3615 S. Hope St.), and Torrance (1785 W. 220th St.).

Efforts are underway by the DMV to contact customers with scheduled appointments at Inglewood for rescheduling at alternative locations.

The DMV highlights that many tasks can be completed without visiting an office through its digital services platform, which includes self-service transactions not available in physical locations anymore. Online services cover eligible driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals among other transactions.

Customers interested in receiving paperless notices for vehicle registration and driver's license renewals can opt-in by creating a secure account on dmv.ca.gov.