DPS launches ‘Skip the Line’ program at driver’s license stations

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New conveniences are coming to driver’s license stations across the state of Mississippi. 

During today’s press briefing, Governor Tate Reeves and Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell announced the new “Skip the Line” program, which will allow Mississippians to make appointments online and will move renewal applications for firearm permits to a mail-in-only system. 

The appointment program will go through a soft launch of sorts at two locations before going statewide on October 1st.

Since early July, you’ve only been able to go to a station on the day of the week that corresponded with the first letter of your last name. On October 1st, that will come to an end. 

A detailed description of the program can be seen below:

  • Online Appointment System: Effective September 14, 2020, customers can schedule an appointment at the location of their choice in the Troop K (Gulf Coast) and Troop C (Jackson Metro) Regions. This feature will be available statewide on October 1, 2020. All appointments will be given priority service over walk-in customers.
  • Skip the Line Cam: Customers can view the lines at all major Driver’s License stations prior to arriving by visiting https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/live-feeds. This feature will be available at all troop locations on October 1, 2020.
  • Online/Mail-In Firearm Renewal: Effective immediately, all firearm permit renewal applications will be mail-in only. Firearm permit renewal applications are available online
    at https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/Firearms/Home. This program will eliminate the need to renew in person and the requirement that customers be fingerprinted for a firearm permit renewal.
  • Removal of Alphabet Schedule: Effective October 1, 2020, all services (including processing of new firearm permits) will be available every day of the week.

Speaking on the current status of driver’s license stations in Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves said, “It just didn’t work right for the people of Mississippi. It was frustrating, confusing, and slow. Today, we’re announcing some new efforts to change that. It will help Mississippians to skip the line and get in-and-out quickly. That helps with COVID-19 safety. It’s also just better. It treats the people of Mississippi the way they deserve to be treated–with respect for your time and wise use of your tax dollars.”

Governor Reeves credited new DPS Commissioner Sean Tindell with the program’s inception. 

“We are committed to reducing the lines at our Driver Service Bureaus. Shortly after taking office, we identified several redundancies in our processes related to renewals of driver’s licenses and firearm permits. We have worked diligently to remove these redundancies, resulting in reduced processing times for customers,” Tindell said. 

To learn more about the program, click here. 

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