DMV Self Service Kiosk — Local services in Washington

Working as of 9/25/21. There are signs along the right side of 3rd Street perhaps 100 feet before you reach the parking lot where the kiosk is located. These indicate that you are approaching the kiosk. Turn left into a parking lot next to a sports field. The kiosk is on the left hand side of the parking lot. All very easy. I entered my VIN manually by choice, so I can't account for the VIN scanner, but the VIN is on your insurance card, so easy. I found the location of my OBD port (the place in your car where you plug the connection in the box labeled "OBD" on the kiosk) by searching my car/make/model/year and obd location on google. For me, it was under the dashboard, to the left of the steering wheel. It's like plugging in an old-time computer printer connection--just push it in. The kiosk worked like a charm....

Realized that the kiosk is not broken, due to my car being new and having a new car inspection sticker, my car has not needed to be inspected by DC yet. So, my car isn't in the system and this kiosk is for renewals only. So unfortunately, new cars that are being inspected for the "first time" need to go to Half Street. Then, whenever you need to renew, it'll work.

I did witness three other vehicles use the kiosk successfully when we were there so it does definitely work IF you are renewing. Takes less than 5 minutes.

Hopefully DC installs a few more kiosks and some...

Generally good experience; no line; it worked although software clunky; should be more of them throughout the city. IMPORTANT: the kiosk is NOT located at 300 Van Buren. It is several hundred yards south of that intersection on 3rd street between Underwood and Tuckerman. UPDATE: went back this year (2022) and the software worse. You would think it's broken because it can take 30 seconds or more to register that you have pressed a item on the screen. It took about 15 minutes given all the long delays on the screens, but ultimately I got the...