The DMV is closed on Sundays and on the 11 federal holidays in nearly every state, and many states add their own closure days on top of that. Saturday is where the pattern breaks: a growing number of states keep at least some offices open on Saturdays, usually with shorter hours and only at larger branches. So the honest answer to what days the DMV is closed depends on your state, but the floor is predictable.
Federal Holidays the DMV Observes in 2026
DMV offices in nearly every state close on the same 11 federal public holidays set by federal law. The 2026 dates:
- New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monday, January 19
- Washington’s Birthday: Monday, February 16
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
- Juneteenth National Independence Day: Friday, June 19
- Independence Day: Saturday, July 4 (observed Friday, July 3)
- Labor Day: Monday, September 7
- Columbus Day: Monday, October 12
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
Your state may call the February holiday “Presidents’ Day,” but the closure date is the same third Monday in February.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays
When a Holiday Falls on a Weekend
Independence Day in 2026 lands on a Saturday, so DMV offices will typically close the preceding Friday, July 3. That follows the standard federal observation rule: a Saturday holiday shifts to the Friday before, and a Sunday holiday shifts to the following Monday.2U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays
Most state DMVs follow the same pattern, but a few set their own observation rules. If a holiday weekend lines up with a deadline, confirm with your state’s DMV directly instead of assuming the Friday-or-Monday convention applies.
State-Specific Closures to Watch For
The 11 federal holidays are the floor, not the ceiling. Common state additions include Cesar Chavez Day in late March, Good Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and state admission or founding days. A few states also skip federal holidays they don’t recognize at the state level, though that’s less common.
These extra days are where most locked-door surprises happen. Your state DMV’s holiday calendar is the only reliable list, and it won’t always match a generic federal-holidays page.
Saturday and Sunday Hours
Nearly every DMV office is closed Sundays. Saturdays are a different story. A growing number of states offer Saturday hours at some locations, usually a shorter window than weekday service and typically at larger, higher-traffic branches rather than small rural ones. If you’ve been avoiding the DMV because weekdays don’t work, check whether your nearest office has Saturday availability before burning a vacation day.
If Your Deadline Falls on a Closed Day
If your vehicle registration or driver’s license expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, you’re not automatically in violation at midnight. Most states extend the deadline to the next business day, so a closure you couldn’t control shouldn’t trigger late penalties.
“Most states” isn’t “all states,” and the grace period usually covers penalties and fees rather than giving you legal cover to drive on technically expired documents. If your registration expires on a Friday before a long holiday weekend, renewing before the weekend removes any ambiguity. An officer pulling you over Saturday morning may not know or care about your state’s grace period.
Online Services and Kiosks
The most practical answer to closures is often to skip the office. Every state offers at least some transactions online, and the common ones run around the clock regardless of holidays or weekends. Registration renewals, license renewals, address changes, appointment scheduling, and duplicate document requests can usually be handled from a phone or computer at any hour.
Several states also run self-service kiosks in grocery stores, shopping centers, and other public spots. These machines handle registration renewals and print new tags on the spot. Weekend and holiday availability depends on the host location’s hours and the state’s maintenance schedule, so they aren’t guaranteed to be running on every closed day.
Online and kiosk options don’t cover everything. Road tests, first-time license applications, title transfers, and transactions requiring original documents still require an in-person visit, and those have to be planned around the closure calendar.
Unscheduled Closures and How to Verify
Severe weather, power outages, public health emergencies, and building problems can shut down a DMV office with little or no warning. Your state DMV website and social media accounts are usually the fastest sources for real-time status. System-wide closures for software upgrades or staff training happen occasionally and are typically announced a few days ahead.
For hours, holiday closures, and alerts, your state’s official DMV website is the only source worth trusting. Third-party sites and Google’s listed hours are frequently outdated, especially around holidays with shifted observation dates. Most state DMV sites include a branch locator that shows each office’s hours, Saturday availability, and any temporary closures. If you can’t find what you need online, calling the office or the state hotline will get you a definitive answer faster than guessing.