The Fontana DMV at 8026 Hemlock Ave. is a full-service field office for driver’s licenses, ID cards, REAL ID, knowledge tests, behind-the-wheel and motorcycle tests, titles, registration and VIN verifications, with a self-service kiosk. It’s the nearest DMV for Fontana, Bloomington and the Etiwanda area of Rancho Cucamonga, and it’s open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays). Commercial skills tests aren’t given here but at the city’s other DMV site, the commercial drive test center on Poplar Avenue.
Fontana DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | Fontana DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 8026 Hemlock Ave., Fontana, CA 92336 (get directions) |
| Hours | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed weekends |
| Live wait times | On the DMV page for this office, alongside Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Norco and Riverside |
| Appointments | Optional for most visits; required for behind-the-wheel and motorcycle tests |
| Walk-ins | Scan the QR code at the entrance or check in at the information desk |
| Self-service kiosk | Yes |
| Phone | No direct line; DMV customer service at 1-800-777-0133, Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (TTY 1-800-368-4327) |
Not the Merrill Avenue address: older listings may still show a Fontana DMV at 16499 Merrill Ave. That was a driver’s license processing center, and it closed on Sept. 8, 2023; Hemlock Avenue is the city’s field office.
Is Fontana the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from City Hall or the center of each community:
- Fontana is closest for Fontana itself (about 2.5 miles from City Hall), Etiwanda in east Rancho Cucamonga (about 3, with the Rancho Cucamonga office at 5) and Bloomington (about 5.5).
- Another office is closer for Rialto (San Bernardino, about 5.5 miles from Rialto City Hall, with Fontana at 6) and central Rancho Cucamonga (its own office, about 1.5 from City Hall, with Fontana at 5.5).
What Fontana Handles and What Goes Elsewhere
- Licenses and tests: driver’s license, ID card and REAL ID applications, knowledge tests until 4:30 p.m., and behind-the-wheel and motorcycle tests by appointment.
- Vehicles: title transfers, new and out-of-state registrations, VIN verifications, plates and placards. A private-party purchase owes use tax at the rate for the address where you register it: as of October 2026, 8.75% in Fontana and 7.75% in Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga and unincorporated areas such as Bloomington. Our guide to registering a car in California lists the documents and fees.
- Skip the line at a kiosk: registration renewals and driver and vehicle records can be done at the office’s self-serve kiosk, online, or at grocery store kiosks open every day, including Ralphs at 16225 Sierra Lakes Pkwy. (6:00 a.m.–1:00 a.m.), Vons at 7390 Cherry Ave. (6:00 a.m.–midnight) and Superior Grocers at 16055 Foothill Blvd. (6:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.).
- Commercial skills tests: at the Fontana commercial drive test center, 10207 Poplar Ave., about 3 miles south-southeast, by appointment only. Apply for the commercial learner’s permit and pass the knowledge tests at a field office first.
- Elsewhere: mobile driver’s license help at Rancho Cucamonga, about 7 miles west and the closest office on the DMV’s list of offices that help in person, and smog checks at licensed smog check stations.
Before You Go
Start any license or REAL ID application online and bring the original documents; the DMV’s REAL ID checklist lists what’s accepted, and our California DMV appointment guide covers booking, drive tests and what to bring. The office takes cash, checks, money orders, cards and digital wallets (with a 2.1% fee on cards and wallets) and closes on Veterans Day (Nov. 11), Thanksgiving (Nov. 26–27), Christmas (Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Jan. 1, 2027).
Other DMV Offices Near Fontana
- Rancho Cucamonga, 8629 Hellman Ave., about 7 miles west: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- San Bernardino, 1310 N. Waterman Ave., about 11.5 miles east: full service, with a kiosk
- Riverside, 6280 Brockton Ave., about 11.5 miles south-southeast: licensing, car tests and vehicle work, with a kiosk, but no motorcycle tests
- Norco, 3201 Horseless Carriage Drive, about 13.5 miles south-southwest: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
The DMV’s page also lists the San Bernardino Industry Business Center nearby, but it serves dealers and other vehicle-industry customers, not the public. Our Fontana DMV offices page compares this office with the commercial drive test center, and our California DMV offices list covers the rest of the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Rialto has no DMV field office. The San Bernardino DMV is slightly closer, about 5.5 miles from Rialto City Hall, with Fontana at about 6, so compare their live waits before you go. For registration renewals and records, the Superior Grocers in Rialto has a DMV kiosk.
The DMV doesn’t list a direct number for the office. Call DMV customer service at 1-800-777-0133, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the TTY line is 1-800-368-4327.
Conclusion
The Hemlock Avenue office is the full-service DMV for Fontana, Bloomington and east Rancho Cucamonga, with a kiosk and motorcycle tests. Check its live wait against Rancho Cucamonga’s and San Bernardino’s before you go, book ahead for a drive test, use a kiosk for renewals, and go to the Poplar Avenue center for a commercial skills test and to Rancho Cucamonga for mobile license help.

Add Comment