What you can (and can’t) do at a kiosk

Where to find kiosks

How to use a kiosk in 4 steps

Kiosk vs office vs online

Tips for a smooth kiosk visit

DMV kiosk locations: FAQs

15 Real Kiosk Locations & Hours (Verified)

Retail kiosk hours = store hours, not DMV hours:

Store	Location	Hours
Ralphs	Costa Mesa	Mon–Sun 5 AM – 1 AM
Ralphs	West Hollywood	Mon–Sun 5 AM – 2 AM
Albertsons	Fountain Valley	Mon–Sun 6 AM – 11 PM
Albertsons	Paso Robles	Mon–Sun 6 AM – 11 PM
Safeway	Elk Grove	Mon–Sun 5 AM – 12 AM
Superior Grocers	Santa Ana	Mon–Sun 7 AM – 10 PM
Superior Grocers	Los Angeles	Mon–Sun 7 AM – 10 PM

Chains with kiosks: Ralphs, Vons/Pavilions, Albertsons, Safeway, Pak ’N Save, FoodMaxx, Superior Grocers, Bristol Farms, Lucky/Save Mart.

Kiosk vs Online vs Office

	Kiosk	Online	Office
Hours	Store hours (weekends!)	24/7	Mon–Fri 8–5
Instant sticker	✅ Yes	❌ Mailed	✅ Yes
Wait time	Minimal	None	30–90 min
Appointment	Not needed	N/A	Recommended

Why kiosk beats online: Instant registration card + sticker printed on the spot.
Why kiosk beats office: No line, open weekends and late nights.

What to Bring to a Kiosk

• Current CA driver license (scanned at kiosk)
• Last 4 digits of SSN
• Renewal notice (helpful but not required)
• Credit/debit card or cash
• Glasses if you have a vision restriction

Kiosks support 12 languages. Cannot do: REAL ID, first-time license, driving tests, CDL renewal, name changes.

How to Use a DMV Kiosk: Step by Step

Using a DMV Now kiosk is straightforward — most transactions take just a few minutes. Here is exactly what to do:

1. Find a kiosk using the official locator at dmv.ca.gov/portal/locations/kiosks — search by ZIP code or city. (Grocery-store kiosks are usually faster than driving to a DMV field office.)
2. Touch the screen to start and choose your language. The kiosk conducts vehicle transactions in English, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]
3. Scan your renewal notice (the kiosk reads the Renewal Identification Number — RIN — printed on the top left) or enter your information manually: license plate number, VIN, or driver license number. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]
4. Select your transaction — registration renewal, PNO filing, duplicate sticker, records request, and more.
5. Verify the details shown on screen — vehicle information, mailing address, and fees. If the address is wrong, process a change of address first (kiosks handle that too).
6. Pay with a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover). All DMV office kiosks and some retail kiosks also accept cash. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ + DMV payment matrix]
7. Collect your documents — the kiosk prints your registration card and sticker on the spot. No waiting for the mail.

— ## SECTION 2: Kiosk Payment Rules — What the DMV Officially Says (~190 words)

Kiosk Payment Rules: Cards, Cash, and the 1.95% Fee

The DMV publishes an official payment matrix for every channel, and the kiosk column is clear:

Payment Method	Kiosk
Cash	✅ Accepted (all DMV office kiosks; some retail locations)
Credit card (Visa, MC, Amex, Discover)	✅ Accepted — 1.95% service fee
Debit card (Visa/MC logo)	✅ Accepted — 1.95% service fee
Bank account / eCheck	❌ Not accepted
Money order	❌ Not accepted
Apple Pay / Google Pay	❌ Not accepted

Kiosk Languages: 9 for Vehicles, 10 for Licenses

California’s kiosks are built for a multilingual state — and the language list actually differs by transaction type, straight from the DMV:

• Vehicle transactions (registration, PNO, ANU, stickers): English, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
• Driver license transactions (renewal, duplicate): English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. These match the Secretary of State’s voter-registration languages, so you can also register to vote during the transaction.

[Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ, verbatim language lists]

Choose your language on the first screen. Every step — including payment prompts and the final receipt — follows in that language.

— ## SECTION 4: Which Vehicles Qualify — and Which Don’t (~160 words)

Which Vehicles Can Use a Kiosk (and Which Can’t)

The DMV lists exactly which vehicle types a kiosk can renew:

• Autos
• Pickups
• Motorcycles
• Coach and park-model trailers
• Commercial vehicles that do not pay Commercial Vehicle Registration Act (CVRA) fees

[Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]

Vessels (boats) are excluded. Boat registrations are issued different stickers that are not available through DMV Now, so vessel renewals must be done online, by mail, or in person. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]

If your vehicle is not on the list — or your renewal notice flags an issue the kiosk cannot resolve — the transaction will not start, and the screen will direct you to dmv.ca.gov or a field office instead.

— ## SECTION 5: What to Bring for Each Transaction Type (~200 words)

What to Bring: Document Checklist by Transaction

The DMV tells you exactly what each transaction needs. Bring the right item and you will be done in minutes:

Transaction	Bring This
Registration renewal	The 8½” × 11” renewal notice DMV mails you each year — it carries the Renewal Identification Number (RIN) on the top left — or your current registration card
Registration card or sticker replacement	License plate number plus the last 5 digits of the VIN
Suspension reinstatement + insurance proof	Renewal notice, registration card, or the Vehicle Insurance Program letter — look for the Personal Identification Number (PIN) in the top middle of the document
Driver record	Your driver license or ID card
Vehicle record	Driver license or ID card plus plate number and last 5 digits of the VIN

Kiosk Troubleshooting: 7 Problems and How to Fix Them

1. “Transaction Not Found”

The most common kiosk error. Double-check every digit of your plate number and VIN — one wrong character is usually the cause. If the entries are correct and it still fails, your record may not be eligible for kiosk processing (for example, a hold or an issue flagged on your renewal notice). Call 1-800-777-0133 or check dmv.ca.gov to confirm eligibility before trying a different kiosk.

2. “Card Declined”

Confirm the kiosk takes your card network — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are accepted. Check that your card has sufficient funds and is not expired. If it still declines, try a different card or complete the transaction online instead.

3. Kiosk is frozen or out of service

Retail store staff generally cannot fix a DMV kiosk — the machines are serviced by the DMV, not the store. If the screen is frozen or the machine is dark, find another nearby location using the official locator rather than waiting. Kiosk availability can change (maintenance, network outages), so it is worth having a backup location in mind.

4. Payment went through but nothing printed

Do not pay a second time. Check your card or bank app to confirm whether you were charged. If you were charged, call 1-800-777-0133 with the date, time, and location of the kiosk — the DMV can look up the transaction. If you were not charged, it is safe to retry.

5. Information on screen does not match your records

The kiosk pulls live data from DMV records. If the address or vehicle details are wrong, the transaction may be blocked. Update your address first (the kiosk itself can process a change of address), then retry the original transaction.

6. Cash not accepted at a retail kiosk

All kiosks inside DMV field offices accept cash; only some retail kiosks do. If you plan to pay cash, use a DMV-office kiosk to be safe. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]

7. You need to split payment across two methods

You cannot — the DMV allows only one payment method per transaction. Plan to pay the full amount on a single card or in cash. [Source: qr.dmv.ca.gov DMV Kiosk FAQ]

— ## SECTION 7: How to Find a Kiosk — Locator Guide (~180 words)

How to Find a Kiosk Near You (Official Locator)

There are 289 DMV Now kiosks across California, and the DMV keeps an official locator updated:

1. Go to dmv.ca.gov/portal/locations/kiosks.
2. Enter your ZIP code or city.
3. The results show kiosk locations with hours — including the grocery-store kiosks that run on store hours (many Mon–Sun, 5 AM–1 AM).

Two extra ways to find one:

• Field office pages list nearby kiosks. Every DMV field office page on dmv.ca.gov has a “Nearby Locations” section showing the closest kiosks with addresses and hours — handy if you are already comparing offices. [Verified across Costa Mesa, Westminster, Van Nuys, Sacramento South, and Chula Vista office pages]
• Look while you shop. The machines are tall, yellow-and-blue touchscreen units (often branded “DMV Now”) placed near the front of Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Safeway, Superior Grocers, FoodMaxx, and other partner stores.

7 Tips for the Fastest Kiosk Visit

1. Bring your renewal notice. The Renewal Identification Number (RIN) on the top left lets the kiosk pull up your record instantly — no manual typing of plate and VIN.
2. Go to a grocery-store kiosk, not the DMV building. People routinely drive to a DMV office, hunt for parking, and wait in the lobby just to use the machine inside — when the same machine sits in a Ralphs or Safeway near their home with no line.
3. Skip the DMV counter line with the in-office kiosk. If you already have a field-office appointment but only need a simple renewal, walk straight to the kiosk inside the office first — it processes the same transaction as a counter agent without the counter wait. [Source: dmvcalifornia.us]
4. Go during off-peak store hours. Kiosks rarely have a line, but early mornings and weekday evenings beat the lunch and dinner rush at busy grocery stores.
5. Have one payment method ready. Only one method per transaction — decide card or cash before you start. Remember cards carry the official 1.95% service fee; cash at a DMV-office kiosk avoids it.
6. Check your transaction is kiosk-eligible first. Not every kiosk offers every service — driver license renewal, for example, works at kiosks generally, but confirm the specific machine supports what you need via the locator before you drive over.
7. Take your printouts and check them. Registration card, sticker, and receipt all print on the spot — confirm the sticker year and your name are correct before you leave.

Related DMV guides

Last verified against dmv.ca.gov: October 2026. Services change — confirm current options with the DMV before you go.