Ask The Mayor: With Pukalani DMVL Closed for Repairs, Where Has Staff Gone?

Kahului DMVL. Maui Now file photo.

Q: With the closing of the Pukalani Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing Center for repairs, has staff been added at the Kahului DMVL office to handle the load?

A: Mahalo for your question and concern. I can confirm that all of the Pukalani DMVL staff have been reassigned to our Kahului DMVL Office to accommodate the increased traffic.

The reality is that business conducted at the DMVL takes time and it can result in long lines. However, we’ve taken steps to help alleviate the demand on our Kahului office by hiring additional staff, who are currently being trained on the various services we provide to residents.

As you may know, the Pukalani office is closed as part of the major improvements project at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center. This extensive renovation includes the replacement of deteriorated wood members; structural repairs; asphalt roofing and gutter replacement; and repainting of the interior and exterior (including lead paint abatement). It also calls for the removal and replacement of the VCT (vinyl composition tile) flooring, fire alarm system, re-waterproofing of the second story lanais and other related improvements.

I am very excited to be able to improve and fix this important facility for our Upcountry residents. As a reminder, access to the Upcountry Pool next to the center is not affected by the closure.

While we continue to repair the center and office, our DMVL staff wanted to provide these tips for your next trip to their office:

Fridays and Mondays are the busiest days – instead come in the middle of the week.
The hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. are busier – instead come as close to opening as possible or after 2 p.m.

Hawaiʻi vehicle registrations expire at the end of the month, as a result, wait times are much longer on the last and first weeks of the month. Consider mailing in your registration renewal, doing it online at https://mvr.ehawaii.gov/renewals/index.html, or visiting one of our Self Service Terminals, which can be found at Safeway stores and soon to be inside the County Building.

Come to the DMVL prepared with the proper documents. You can find this out by calling our Call Center at (808) 270-7363, or visiting the DMVL website.

Hawaiʻi driver licenses and State ID’s may be renewed 6 months before expiration. Plan ahead and renew early. Online appointments for the Kahului office are available for these transactions.
Check the current number of waiting customers and wait times on the DMVL website.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your Maui County related questions to Mayor Michael Victorino by email at [email protected], by phone at 270-7855 or by mail at 200 S. High St., ninth floor, Wailuku 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column; to request a personal response to a concern, email [email protected].