Question: When the DMV is open on a Saturday, must I have an appointment or can I walk in? I am the caregiver for both my parents and it’s very difficult to make an appointment for anything because I never know what family emergency will arise. But I do need to renew my driver’s license.
Answer: Limited weekend service is available on Oahu (see details below). When a DMV is open on a Saturday, you can walk in without an appointment, but stand-by service is not guaranteed and you’ll likely wait much longer than if you had made a reservation. With an appointment, you can expect to be served within a few minutes of your reserved time. Your time is valuable, so it would be wise to make an appointment at AlohaQ.org and then, if necessary, cancel as soon as you know that your caregiving duties will prevent you from keeping the appointment. Please do cancel in that case, which you also can do through AlohaQ. The city still has a problem with no-shows, whose allotted dates and times could have been reopened if they had canceled ahead of time. The city says that stand-by service offsets customer cancellations and no-shows, which is why stand-by service varies from day to day, as well as by location.
As for weekend hours, Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services announced Tuesday that four Oahu driver licensing locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on select Saturdays through June. As mentioned, appointments are recommended. Stand-by service is available, but same-day service is not guaranteed.
Here are the locations and Saturdays available, according to the city.
>> Kapalama Driver Licensing Center: April 27, May 4, June 8.
>> Kapolei Driver Licensing Center: April 13, May 18, June 29.
>> Koolau Driver Licensing Center: April 13, May 11, June 1.
>> Wahiawa Driver Licensing Center: April 6, May 11, June 22.
All four DLCs will offer services such as driver’s license and state ID renewals and duplicates, out-of-state transfers and written exams on the Saturdays they are open. In addition, Kapolei, Koolau and Wahiawa will offer road tests, according to the CSD news release. You’ll see a fuller list of services available at any chosen location when you make an appointment on Aloha Q.
Saturday hours have been offered at select DLCs for the past few years, and this is an extension of that service, the city said.
Q: Please list the schedule for the rest of the mayor’s community meetings. I was out of town for the first one and I need more than a day or two notice. My main areas of concern (homeless tents, crime and graffiti) are concerns in my own neighborhood and others so I plan to attend several if I can and try to get to know like-minded residents so we can get something done.
A: Mayor Rick Blangiardi scheduled a series of 11 community meetings across Oahu on Thursday evenings from March 21 to June 6 (no meeting May 9). Meetings in Kapolei and Kailua have been held. Here is the schedule for the remaining meetings, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
>> Salt Lake, Aiea, Pearl City: This Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Salt Lake District Park Gymnasium
>> Wahiawa, Mililani, Mililani Mauka: April 11 at 7 p.m. at Wahiawa Elementary School
>> Downtown, Chinatown, Kalihi: April 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Keelikolani Middle School
>> Manoa, Urban Honolulu, Waikiki: April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Manoa District Park Gymnasium
>> Nanakuli, Waianae, Makaha: May 2 at 7 p.m. at Nanaikapono Elementary School
>> Waialua, Haleiwa, Pupukea: May 16 at 7 p.m. at Waialua Elementary School
>> Hawaii Kai, Kahala, East Honolulu: May 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Koko Head District Park gymnasium
>> Hauula, Kahuku, Laie: May 30 at 7 p.m. at Hau‘ula Elementary School
>> Waipio, Waikele, Waipahu: June 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Kanoelani Elementary School
For more information, see honolulu.gov/mayor.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
