Motor Vehicles, Department of

Agency Web Site: https://dmv.ny.gov/

Mission

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) delivers essential motor vehicle and driver related services, issues secure identity documents, and administers motor vehicle laws enacted to promote safety and protect customers.

Organization and Staffing

The Department is headed by an Executive Deputy Commissioner appointed by the Governor. The Department’s main office is in Albany with 27 State-run DMV offices, primarily located in the New York City Metropolitan District and Long Island areas, and 102 County run offices. The Department issues licenses, non-driver identification cards and vehicle registrations; conducts road tests; monitors driver training; and performs enforcement activities.

The Department of Motor Vehicles is a customer service agency, with most employees funded by the Dedicated Highway Bridge and Trust Fund at 2,097 FTEs. State Operations staffing is funded from the Administrative Adjudication Fund, at 329 FTEs, the Clean Air Fund, at 169 FTEs, and the General Fund, at 167 FTEs. The Governor's Traffic Safety Committee has 53 Federally-supported FTEs, for a total of 2,815 FTEs in FY 2020.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2021 Executive Budget proposes $428.3 million of appropriations, an increase of $32.4 million from prior year levels. The increase is needed to provide sufficient staffing levels to accommodate increased activity resulting from the license renewal cycle and programmatic mandates.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 2,815 FTEs for the Department, which is flat from FY 2020. This FTE level will support the fourth year of a driver's license renewal cycle, conversion to Real ID documents and the passage of the Driver's License Access and Privacy Act

Major budget actions include:

• Legislation to authorize local jurisdictions to allow for certain lower speed scooters operation.
• Legislation to authorize local jurisdictions to allow for certain lower speed motorized bicycles operation.
• Legislation to extend the Accident Prevention or Insurance Reduction Program (IPIRP) for two years.
• Legislation to make permanent document fees, their deposit into the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund, and DMV's operations to be paid from the Trust Fund.
• Authorize DMV to implement a transition to permanent registration stickers.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Transportation (PDF)

Program Highlights

Accident Prevention or Insurance Reduction Program (IPIRP): IPIRP allows drivers to reduce points on their license through successful completion of an Internet Driver Safety Course. DMV uses alternative delivery methods to the traditional classroom-based Point and Insurance Reduction Program through the application of the internet and other technologies. The program is funded by the General Fund which receives program revenues including course provider fees and student fees.

Administrative Adjudication: DMV adjudicates traffic offenses in major metropolitan areas and provides motorists with a system specifically designed for traffic violation cases, relieving local courts of handling most non-criminal traffic tickets. Fines collected from traffic violators are used to cover State operating expenses. The remaining funds are returned to the jurisdictions where violations occurred.

Clean Air: The Clean Air program develops, operates, evaluates, and maintains the system for conducting emissions inspections in the State of New York. Revenues consist of sales of emission inspection stickers and a surcharge on heavy weight vehicles.

Compulsory Insurance: Compulsory Insurance insures that motorists maintain insurance coverage on their registered vehicles and supports the DMV's crash records staff. The program is funded by the General Fund which receives fines charged to DMV customers because of a lapse in auto insurance coverage, in addition to fees obtained from assessments on insurance companies based on the number of premiums written.

Motorcycle Safety: Motorcycle Safety develops and implements education and awareness courses throughout the State. DMV engages an independent training coordination organization to manage the program. The program is funded by the General Fund which receives deposits by DMV from motorcycle registration fees and motorcycle licenses.

Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC): GTSC serves as the State's liaison with Federal Government agencies on highway safety programs and policies. Through GTSC, DMV receives Federal funding for traffic safety programs. GTSC maintains employees in DMV responsible for the programmatic functions of highway safety, planning the grant program, and safety program activities.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/29/2020