Michigan Secretary of State to reopen branches on Monday by appointment only

Michigan's Secretary of State branch offices will reopen on Monday, June 1 by appointment only for essential transactions that aren't available online.

Starting at the beginning of the month, all 131 branch offices will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The appointment-only services include driver licenses, title transfers, seasonal commercial vehicle renewal, and testing for operators, chauffeurs, mechanics, and motorcycles.

“While the offices were closed to the public we conducted more than 3,000 emergency appointments for essential workers and planned and implemented protocols so that we could reopen in a way that ensures the safety of employees and all Michiganders,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a release. “Customers can be confident they’ll be able to conduct their business with us safely and efficiently.”

For those that make an appointment, they'll find branch staff following "strict health and safety protocols" like wearing masks and obeying social distancing rules. Desk shields and disinfecting of commonly-touched surfaces will also be deployed.

But before residents can enter the office, they'll need a greeter to let customers in as branch doors will remain locked. For those who are arriving with an appointment, they must adhere to several restrictions when they enter the building. They include:

  • Arriving at the appointment alone
  • Wearing a mask or homemade face covering over their mouth and nose
  • Waiting in their vehicle or outside prior to the appointment time and maintaining six feet of distance when announcing themselves and their appointment to staff at the doors
  • Following directions on where to stand during the transaction — only stepping forward toward the clerk when providing or retrieving documents
  • Canceling their appointment if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 or come into contact with someone who has COVID-19 within 14 days of the appointment
  • Adhering to CDC guidelines when in public

The Secretary of State has also begun sending updated renewal forms that are color-coded, based on the transaction. The color of each form is as follows:

  • Red: Vehicle registration
  • Blue: Driver’s license
  • Green: State identification card
  • Teal: Watercraft
  • Gray: Snowmobile
  • Purple: Special plate

A sample of the updated renewal forms can be found here.