Yellowstone County MVD Offices Will Be Closed for Upgrades

All Yellowstone County Motor Vehicle Division offices will be closed for a few days in mid-March for a major system update. This includes the downtown Billings MVD exam station, the main office in the courthouse, the Laurel branch, and the Metra MVD office.

Departments will close at 1 PM on Wednesday, March 12, and remain closed through Sunday, March 16. No vehicle transactions will occur during this period, and the scheduled downtime will occur at all MVD offices statewide.

Upgrading to the CARS system.

Montana's Motor Vehicle Division is preparing to launch a new vehicle services system called CARS. Work on the project began in 2022, and departments across the state began receiving new equipment in November. Employees have been training on the new system, with the final phase of the upgrade to be completed during the closure.

MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said in a press release, "We have had incredible success with the CARS program so far, and I look forward to working with counties across the state to make this final rollout a success. This system will provide counties with what they need to better serve their customers and improve efficiency." 18 other states are using the new system.

Read More: Montana Real ID Deadline: What You Need To Know

The CARS system is touted to offer more online services to customers, electronic payment options, and improved turnaround time for all vehicle transactions. It's also designed to improve functionality for law enforcement, car dealerships, and insurance companies and simplify county operations.

Perhaps the most attractive feature of CARS (for the public, anyway) is the reduced wait times. Less time waiting in line for title work or license plates is a win in our book.