Reviewed and updated October 12, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read from the California DMV's own pages that day, and the DMV page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
The Palm Desert field office of the California DMV: its hours for every day, the services it handles, what it takes for payment, the wait times the DMV posts, the nearest offices and kiosks, and what to do before you go. Every other California office is on the California DMV offices list.
In this guide: Address, Hours, Services at this office, Payment accepted, Wait times, Nearest offices and kiosks, Before you go, Questions about the Palm Desert DMV
Address
Palm Desert DMV Field Office
DMV customer service, statewide: 1-800-777-0133
Official page: dmv.ca.gov/portal/field-office/palm-desert
Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours as shown on the DMV's 14-day calendar for this office when SearchSystems read it on October 12, 2026. On Wednesday the hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The office is closed on the DMV's 2026 holidays: January 1, January 19, February 16, March 31, May 25, September 7, November 11, November 26 and 27, December 25, and January 1, 2027. The DMV says it does not give knowledge tests within 30 minutes of closing.
Services at this office
The DMV lists these service groups for Palm Desert: Licensing Services; Testing; Title Transfers; Registration; Plates, Permits, & Placards; Replace Lost/Stolen/Damaged; Records; Request miscellaneous original documents; Self Service Terminals. Driving tests are by appointment only.
The DMV's office page opens with the services it says most people can complete online, in its own words: Renew Your Vehicle Registration, Renew your Driver’s License or ID Card, Driver’s License/ID Card Application, Change your Address, Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, Request a Replacement Driver’s License, Special Interest or Personalized Plates and Request your Driver’s Record. They start at the DMV's online services portal; SearchSystems explains each on the California DMV guide.
Payment accepted
DMV field offices accept Cash, Check, Credit Card, Debit Card, Digital Wallet, and Money order. A credit or debit card paid in an office carries a 2.1 percent service fee; Apple Pay and Google Pay in an office carry the same 2.1 percent. The full table is on the fees page.
Wait times
The DMV publishes a live wait time for this office for customers with an appointment and without one, and a Get in Line option on its office page. When SearchSystems read the page on October 12, 2026, the wait was 11 minutes with an appointment and 40 minutes without. Those numbers change through the day; the current ones are on the DMV's Palm Desert office page.
Nearest offices and kiosks
Indio DMV Field Office, 44480 Jackson St, Indio, CA 92201. Hours: Monday and Tuesday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Thursday and Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.
Palm Springs DMV Field Office, 950 N Farrell Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Hours: Monday and Tuesday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Thursday and Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.
Ralphs in Indio DMV Kiosk, 49908 Jefferson St., Indio, CA 92201. Hours: every day 5:00 am to 1:00 am. The DMV describes kiosks as self-serve stations for certain registration services and driver or vehicle record requests, with services varying by kiosk.
Ralphs in Palm Springs (Sunrise) DMV Kiosk, 425 S. Sunrise Way Bldg A., Palm Springs, CA 92262. Hours: every day 6:00 am to 1:00 am. The DMV describes kiosks as self-serve stations for certain registration services and driver or vehicle record requests, with services varying by kiosk.
Ozzies International Tire & Auto, 74894 Lennon Place Ste E2, Palm Desert, CA 92260. Hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, closed Sunday.
Gml Quick Smog Shop -, 74818 Velie Way, Palm Desert, CA 92260. Hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, closed Sunday.
Next Level Smog, 75015 Sheryl Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92211. Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.
Ozone Smog, 74817 Joni Dr Unit F, Palm Desert, CA 92260. Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 am, closed Sunday.
Before you go
Book driving tests and most license services on the DMV's appointment page. Bring the identity, residency and Social Security documents the application calls for (the list is on the driver's license page), proof of insurance for a driving test, and a payment method from the list above. A license or ID renewal with no changes can be done online instead, within 90 days of expiration, as explained on the renewal page; vehicle registration renews online, by phone or at a kiosk as explained on the registration renewal page.
Questions about the Palm Desert DMV
Does the Palm Desert DMV take walk-ins?
Yes. The DMV's office page posts separate wait times for customers with and without an appointment, and a Get in Line option. When SearchSystems read the page on October 12, 2026, the wait was 11 minutes with an appointment and 40 minutes without.
What are the Palm Desert DMV hours?
Monday and Tuesday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Thursday and Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday, and closed on DMV holidays.
Is there a DMV kiosk near Palm Desert?
Yes, the DMV lists Ralphs in Indio at 49908 Jefferson St., Indio, CA 92201, open every day 5:00 am to 1:00 am. Kiosks are self-serve stations for certain registration services and driver or vehicle record requests, and they take cash.
Which other office does the DMV list for Palm Desert?
The first nearby location on the DMV's Palm Desert page is Indio DMV Field Office at 44480 Jackson St, Indio, CA 92201, open Monday and Tuesday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Thursday and Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.
What is the phone number?
The office page does not list a direct line. The DMV's customer service number is 1-800-777-0133.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the California DMV's Palm Desert field office page, read on October 12, 2026. The hours, services, payment types and nearby locations are the DMV's; the wait times are the ones shown at that reading.