✓A DMV Now kiosk is a self-service machine at a grocery or retail store that handles registration renewals and replacement stickers - printed on the spot, no appointment.
✓Kiosks take card payment only (credit or debit) and are available whenever the host store is open - they're unstaffed machines, not a staffed counter.
✓They cannot issue driver's licenses, ID cards, or REAL ID, and can't give a driving test - those need a field office.
✓California has 284 DMV Now kiosks in our directory. Browse kiosks by county to find the nearest one and its host-store hours.
Best forRegistration renewal · replacement stickers
WhereGrocery & retail stores statewide
PaymentCredit or debit card only
HoursWhenever the host store is open
AppointmentNot needed - walk up
What a DMV Now kiosk is
A DMV Now kiosk is a self-service machine - think of an ATM for vehicle registration - placed inside grocery and retail stores such as Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, and Superior Grocers. You walk up, follow the on-screen prompts, pay by card, and walk away with your printed registration sticker in a few minutes. There’s no appointment, no line at a counter, and no staff involved - the kiosk does the whole transaction.
Kiosks exist to take the simplest DMV errands out of the field office. If all you need is to renew your registration or replace a lost sticker, a kiosk is almost always faster than driving to an office.
What you can do at a kiosk
The most common kiosk transactions are:
Renew vehicle registration and print the sticker on the spot
Replace a lost or damaged sticker or registration card
File Planned Non-Operation (PNO) or an Affidavit of Non-Use
Submit proof of insurance to clear an insurance hold
Reinstate a lapsed registration (where offered - a $14 fee applies)
Request driver or vehicle records
The exact menu varies slightly by location. Each kiosk’s official page lists what that machine offers - browse kiosks by county to check before you go.
What a kiosk can’t do
A kiosk is for registration and document replacements only. It cannot:
Issue or renew a driver’s license or ID card
Process a REAL ID (that always requires an in-person visit with documents)
Administer a knowledge or driving test
Handle a first-time registration of a vehicle new to California
For any of those, you’ll need a field office - and many can also be started online.
Hours, payment & finding one
Because a kiosk lives inside a store, its hours are the host store’s hours - you can use it any time the store is open, which often means evenings and weekends when field offices are closed. We list each kiosk’s host-store hours on the county pages and label them as such; there is no separate staffed kiosk schedule.
Kiosks don't add a renewal surcharge - you pay the registration amount shown.
Same as the DMV fee
Replacement sticker / registration card
Standard DMV replacement fee
Registration reinstatement
To reinstate a lapsed registration, where offered (e.g. at a DMV Now kiosk).
$14
Fees are the same charges you'd pay the DMV directly - kiosks are a convenience, not a discount or a markup. The exact amount is calculated from your record at the kiosk.
Frequently asked questions
Are DMV Now kiosk hours the same as the store's hours?
Yes. A kiosk is an unstaffed machine inside the host store, so you can use it any time the store is open. We list each kiosk's host-store hours on the county pages, labeled as host-store hours - there's no separate staffed kiosk schedule.
Can I renew my registration at a kiosk if it's already expired?
Usually yes - kiosks handle renewals and, at many locations, registration reinstatement (a $14 fee applies where offered). If your registration needs a smog certificate or has a hold, you may need to resolve that first. The kiosk will tell you if it can't complete the transaction.
Do kiosks take cash?
No. DMV Now kiosks accept credit and debit cards only - no cash or check.
Can I get a REAL ID or a driver's license at a kiosk?
No. Kiosks handle vehicle-registration tasks and document replacements only. Driver's licenses, ID cards, REAL ID, and driving tests all require an in-person visit to a field office.
Do I need an appointment to use a kiosk?
No - kiosks are walk-up, self-service, and usually have little or no line. That's the main reason to use one instead of a field office for a simple renewal.