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Miami-Dade, FL - Miami-Dade County has expanded DMV hours, added staffing, and introduced strict penalties to eliminate appointment fraud and improve service efficiency for residents.
County officials have introduced key changes aimed at reducing wait times and improving access, including launching weekend hours at the downtown DMV office.
Residents can now visit on Saturdays, while other locations are streamlining operations to move customers through more efficiently. Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez says these efforts are already paying off, with between 700 and 800 people being served daily, nearly double the volume compared to when the state managed these facilities.
“This is the second-largest DMV office in the county, and now all 33 service windows are fully staffed,” Fernandez said.
Customers are taking notice. One woman who recently visited said her appointment lasted just 20 minutes from start to finish.
But not everyone is booking appointments the right way.
Under the state-run system, people were able to schedule multiple appointments and resell them online.
Since taking over, the county has implemented safeguards to prevent this abuse.
Anyone caught selling DMV time slots now faces a $500 civil fine and could be prosecuted.
Fernandez emphasized that the county is actively monitoring the system and taking violations seriously.
He says the ultimate goal is to create a more reliable and accessible experience for all drivers.
By this summer, appointment availability is expected to improve significantly, helping Miami-Dade residents get on the road faster, with fewer headaches.
As of now, no criminal charges have been filed, but enforcement of the new policy is already underway.