The El Cerrito DMV at 6400 Manila 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. It’s the nearest DMV for El Cerrito, Richmond, Albany, Kensington, San Pablo, El Sobrante, Pinole and Hercules. There’s no self-service kiosk here, but the Safeway at 11450 San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito has one. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays).
El Cerrito DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | El Cerrito DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 6400 Manila Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530 (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 Oakland, Vallejo, Oakland Coliseum and Corte Madera |
| 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 | None here; use a grocery store kiosk in El Cerrito or Emeryville |
| 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) |
Is El Cerrito the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from City Hall or the center of each city or community:
- El Cerrito is closest for El Cerrito itself (under a mile from City Hall), Kensington (about 1.5), Albany (about 2 from City Hall, with Oakland’s Claremont Avenue office at 4), Richmond (about 2.5), San Pablo (about 3.5), El Sobrante (about 4.5), Pinole (about 6 from City Hall) and Hercules (about 7 from City Hall, with Vallejo at 7.5).
- Another office is closer for downtown Berkeley (the Oakland office on Claremont Avenue, about 2 miles from Berkeley City Hall, with El Cerrito at 4) and for Rodeo and Crockett (Vallejo, about 6 and 5, with El Cerrito at 8.5 and 11).
What El Cerrito 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, 10.75% in Albany, 10.25% in El Cerrito, Pinole and Berkeley, 9.75% in Richmond, 9.5% in San Pablo, 9.25% in Hercules and 8.75% in unincorporated areas such as Kensington and El Sobrante. Our guide to registering a car in California lists the documents and fees.
- Renewals and records: DMV counters don’t handle registration renewals or driver and vehicle records, so with no kiosk here, use DMV online services or a grocery store kiosk, such as the Safeway at 11450 San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito (5:00 a.m.–1:00 a.m. daily) or the Pak ‘N Save at 3889 San Pablo Ave. in Emeryville (6:00 a.m.–midnight daily). DMV business partners nearby also handle some registration work for their own fee, including JG Insurance Solutions, 12807 San Pablo Ave., Richmond, open 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Saturday and 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Sunday.
- Elsewhere: mobile driver’s license help at Claremont Avenue, about 6 miles south-southeast and the closest office on the DMV’s list of offices that help in person; commercial skills tests at the Fremont office, about 30 miles south-southeast and the closest CDL test site; 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 El Cerrito
- Oakland (Claremont Avenue), 5300 Claremont Ave., about 6 miles south-southeast: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- Corte Madera, 75 Tamal Vista Blvd., about 11.5 miles west: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- San Francisco, 1377 Fell St., about 12 miles southwest: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- Oakland Coliseum, 501 85th Ave., about 14 miles south-southeast: full service, with a kiosk
Our Oakland DMV offices page compares Oakland’s two offices, and our California DMV offices list covers the rest of the Bay Area and the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Richmond has no DMV field office. The El Cerrito DMV is the closest, about 2.5 miles from central Richmond, with the Oakland office on Claremont Avenue next at about 8. DMV business partners on San Pablo Avenue in Richmond also handle some registration work for their own fee.
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
El Cerrito is the full-service DMV for El Cerrito, Richmond, Albany, Kensington, San Pablo, Pinole and Hercules, with drive tests but no kiosk. Check its live wait against Claremont Avenue’s before you go, book ahead for a drive test, use the Safeway kiosk on San Pablo Avenue or the DMV website for renewals, and go to Oakland for mobile license help and Fremont for a commercial skills test.
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