Online Services in Washington DC

Have you ever found yourself lobbying for a better spot in line at your local motor vehicle agency? Fortunately, in Washington, D.C., you can save the stump speech. The District offers numerous online driver and vehicle services so you can avoid an unnecessary DMV trip.

Typically, driver services are handled through the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can check out the long list of what the District DMV offers on its website. However, there are a number of other services the government doesn't provide—or that a private business could handle quicker. A full list of your online options lies below, ensuring you have as much information as possible when deciding how to proceed.

Washington, D.C. Vehicle Services

To keep your car legal in the U.S., make sure all of its paperwork is in order. There are a number of ways to manage the documents from the comfort of your home computer, both with the Washington, D.C. DMV and through the help of outside businesses.

DMV

  • Renew and verify your registration.
  • Replace your registration card.
  • Get a ROSA (Registration of Out-of-State vehicles) exemption.
  • Schedule a vehicle inspection.
  • Replace your title.
  • Look up an out-of-state title status.
  • Cancel your vehicle tag.
  • Order and track a customized tag.
  • Verify your insurance.
  • Create an insurance payment installment plan.
  • Pay an insurance lapse fee.
  • Search an insurance record.
  • Renew your residential parking pass.
  • Request a disability parking placard.
  • Estimate your vehicle registration and title fees.
  • Calculate the excise tax when buying a vehicle.

Third Parties

  • Order auto insurance.
    • Car insurance is one of the easiest products to shop for online, with a number of private businesses competing to give you the best plan possible.
  • Find motorcycle insurance.
    • Just because there are less wheels doesn't mean you need less insurance. Motorcycle insurance is also mandatory, but you can easily find the best possible policy online.
  • Get a vehicle history report or VIN check.
    • Don't make a car part of your future without checking into its past. With this service, which you can only get through outside businesses in D.C., you'll know exactly where the vehicle has been and have the upper hand in the negotiation process. You can get a vehicle history report for:
    • Cars.
    • Motorcycles.
    • RVs.

D.C. License & Personal Records

You'll need to secure and maintain your D.C. driver's license before hitting the road there, and in order to do so, you'll likely need to track down a number of other personal records.

You can manage a lot of those documents online with the District of Colombia DMV, or you could utilize private businesses, which can often handle the situation more nimbly.

DMV

  • Schedule a road test.
  • Verify, renew, replace, and check the mailing status of your:
    • Driver's license.
    • Washington, D.C. ID card.
  • Reinstate your driver's license.
  • Change the address on your license or ID.
  • Update with the DMV your:
    • Language preference.
    • E-mail address.
    • Phone number.
    • Fax number.
  • Request your driving record.
  • Update your CDL medical information.

Third Parties

  • Look up driving records.
    • Using a private party to find these important documents allows you to stay home and remain stress-free.
  • Prevent identity theft.
    • It's the world's fastest-growing crime, and you can only get protection from it with the help of a private company.
  • Change your name.
    • No matter the occasion, deciding to change your name is a big step. But actually getting it changed doesn't have to be, especially when a private company can handle the details for you.
  • Commission a background check.
    • With information scattered across a variety of agencies, compiling a background check can be complicated. An experienced business will know what to look for and how to get it.
  • Obtain a criminal record check.
    • Law enforcement agencies can be difficult places to procure information from. Let an outside company do the heavy lifting, and you can quickly and easily get a criminal record check with no more effort than a mouse click.
  • Find court records.
    • Courthouses are notoriously slow-moving places. Don't subject yourself to that when you can hire a private vendor to put together court records for you.
  • Get public records.
    • Don't be fooled by the name: public records aren't always easy to find. An experienced business can zero in on the important paperwork for you.
  • Order vital records.
    • Skip the long waits by letting a company put you first. You can order any of the following paperwork from your computer:
    • Birth records.
    • Death records.
    • Divorce records.
    • Marriage records.
  • Get your international driver's permit.
    • Planning an overseas trip is a complex process, with many moving parts. Let a private company sweat this detail so you can drive when you arrive.

Driver's Ed in the District of Colombia

In D.C., you can only take Driver's Ed courses through private companies. Third parties provide resources that include:

Legal troubles aren't fun for anyone, but there are a number of online services out there to help you solve them, both through the D.C. DMV and with help from private companies.

DMV

  • Pay your ticket for:
    • Parking.
    • Photo violations.
    • Minor moving violations.
  • Print a copy of your parking ticket.
  • Sign up for email traffic ticket alerts.
  • Request an adjudication.
  • Schedule a hearing for minor moving violations.

Third Parties

  • Hire a DUI attorney.
    • Catching a charge this serious is one of the most stressful situations a person can go through. Find an attorney who can guide you through the process—without leaving your home.

District of Colombia Miscellaneous Services

There are plenty of other activities you can take care of online through the Washington, D.C. DMV and by hiring outside vendors.

DMV

  • Register to vote.
  • Find a document verification guide.
  • Report fraud.
  • Locate a towed vehicle.

Third Parties

  • Fast track your passport.
    • Waiting for the government to process your passport can take weeks, or even months. Using a private company to jump the line will ensure you won't have to cancel any flights.
DMV.ORG BBB Business Review