The Santa Monica DMV at 2235 Colorado 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 and in-person help with mobile driver’s licenses. It’s the nearest DMV for Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Westwood and central and eastern Malibu, and it’s open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays).
Santa Monica DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | Santa Monica DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 2235 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404 (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 Culver City, Van Nuys, West Hollywood and Hollywood |
| 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 |
| Mobile driver’s license help | Yes; Santa Monica is on the DMV’s list of offices that help in person |
| 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 Santa Monica the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from the center of each nearby city or neighborhood:
- Santa Monica is closest for Santa Monica itself and Brentwood (about 1.5 miles each), Sawtelle (about 2), Pacific Palisades and Westwood (about 3 each), Venice (about 3, with Culver City at 3.5), Bel Air (about 4) and central Malibu (about 12 from Malibu City Hall).
- About the same as Culver City: Century City, about 3.5 to 4 miles from each.
- Another office is closer for Mar Vista and Marina del Rey (Culver City, under a mile and about 2.5) and for western Malibu around Point Dume (the Thousand Oaks office in Ventura County, about 14.5 miles, with Santa Monica at 19).
What Santa Monica 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, 11.25% in Santa Monica, 10.75% in Malibu and 10.25% in Los Angeles neighborhoods such as Brentwood, Venice and Pacific Palisades. Our guide to registering a car in California lists the documents and fees.
- Skip the line at the kiosk: registration renewals and driver and vehicle records can be done at the office’s self-serve kiosk or online. The DMV doesn’t list a grocery store kiosk in Santa Monica; the nearest it lists are Superior Grocers at 3480 S. La Brea Ave. (7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. daily) and Ralphs at 7257 W. Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood (5:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m. daily).
- Elsewhere: commercial skills tests at Winnetka, about 13.5 miles north-northwest and the closest CDL test site, or the Gardena commercial drive test center, about 15 miles southeast, 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 Santa Monica
- Culver City, 11400 W. Washington Blvd., about 4 miles east-southeast: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- West Hollywood, 936 N. Formosa Ave., about 8.5 miles east-northeast: vehicle work and a kiosk, but no licensing
- Hollywood, 803 Cole Ave., about 9 miles east-northeast: licensing and testing only, plus mobile license help
- Hawthorne, 3700 W. El Segundo Blvd., about 11 miles southeast: full service, kiosk and mobile license help
- Van Nuys, 14920 Vanowen St., about 11.5 miles north: licensing, car tests and vehicle work, with a kiosk and mobile license help, but no motorcycle tests
The DMV’s page still lists the Inglewood office nearby, but it has been closed since Feb. 11, 2025. Our Los Angeles DMV offices page compares the seven offices in the city, and our California DMV offices list covers the rest of the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The closest office to Malibu City Hall is the Santa Monica DMV, about 12 miles away. Western Malibu, around Point Dume, is closer to the Thousand Oaks office in Ventura County, about 14.5 miles away.
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
Santa Monica is the full-service DMV for Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Westwood and central Malibu, with a kiosk and mobile license help. Check its live wait against Culver City’s before you go, book ahead for a drive test, use the office kiosk or the DMV website for renewals, and take commercial skills tests to Winnetka or Gardena.
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