The Driver and Motor Vehicle Division (DMV) promotes transportation safety, protects financial and ownership interests in vehicles, provides driver licenses and identification cards for Oregon residents and collects revenues for Oregon’s highway system.

DMV has been part of the Department of Transportation since 1969, but its core functions date back to 1905. The “D” in DMV stood for “department” only for about 12 years—from 1956 to 1969. For more than half a century before that, driver licensing and motor vehicle registration and titling were part of Oregon’s Office of the Secretary of State.

DMV contributes to public safety by licensing only qualified persons and vehicles to drive on Oregon roads. DMV issues titles to protect the financial and ownership interests in vehicles. There are currently more than 3.1 million licensed drivers and more than 4.5 million registered vehicles in Oregon. DMV plays a major role in fraud prevention by enforcing strict identification standards in issuing driver licenses and ID cards and providing driver and vehicle data to law enforcement and courts electronically. DMV also regulates and inspects about 3,500 vehicle- and driver-related businesses, such as auto dealers and dismantlers.

Headquartered in Salem, DMV has 60 field offices throughout the state.