The Texas Department of Public Safety has announced Saturday appointment availability through the end of the year.
Many driver license offices across the state will offer Saturday appointments only for customers needing to renew or replace their Texas driver license or ID cards.
Appointments will begin Saturday, Oct. 3, and continue each Saturday through Dec. 19. Offices will not be open on Nov. 28 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The announcement comes at the direction of Governor Greg Abbott and is part of the department's continued work to help alleviate the backlog caused by the spread of COVID-19.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, nearly 700,000 people statewide had their driver licenses or ID cards expire while the offices were closed due to the pandemic.
Offering Saturday appointments through the end of the year will give customers additional time to handle their driver license transactions, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
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The department launched a new appointment solution when offices reopened in May, and all services are now conducted by appointment only.
The new appointment system aims to provide additional convenience and reduce the time Texans spend waiting in line, the department said.
Customers can book appointments for a specific day and time up to six months in advance, and show up 30 minutes or less before their scheduled appointment. Customers can also check-in using the kiosks inside the office or from their mobile device.
The Department of Public Safety said a limited number of same day appointments will be available at each driver license office. These appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and customers who book these appointments can then leave the office until their designated appointment time.
In most offices, customers without an appointment may be offered the opportunity to be placed on a "standby" list and must wait in the office for assistance in the event of a cancelation or a no-show.
The number of standby appointments is limited to ensure all customers who are placed on the list will be served by the end of the day, the department said.
The extension for the expiration dates that was granted in response to COVID-19 is still in place, meaning that if your Texas ID, driver license, commercial driver license, or election identification certificate expires on or after March 13, 2020, it falls under the period covered by the State of Disaster Declaration related to COVID-19.
Licenses or identification cards that expired on or after March 13 will remain valid for 60 days after the Department of Public Safety announces that the extension period has been lifted.
The 60-day notice has not been issued at this time. Customers have the option to download a copy of the Verification of Driver License Expiration Extension notice to carry with them.
