The Santa Teresa DMV at 180 Martinvale Lane in South San Jose 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. Unlike San Jose’s other office on Alma Avenue, it also gives commercial (CDL) skills tests. It’s the nearest DMV for South San Jose, from Edenvale and Blossom Valley to Almaden Valley and Coyote, and by a small margin for Morgan Hill, and it’s open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays).
Santa Teresa DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | Santa Teresa DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 180 Martinvale Lane, San Jose, CA 95119 (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 San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Gilroy |
| Appointments | Optional for most visits; required for behind-the-wheel, motorcycle and commercial skills 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) |
Santa Teresa or “San Jose”? The DMV lists this office as Santa Teresa, though its address is San Jose 95119. The office the DMV calls “San Jose” is the Alma Avenue office, about 8 miles northwest, so pick the office by name when you book.
Is Santa Teresa the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from each neighborhood or community:
- Santa Teresa is closest for the Santa Teresa neighborhood (about 1 mile), Coyote (about 2.5), Edenvale (about 3), Blossom Valley (about 3.5), Almaden Valley (about 5) and Morgan Hill (about 9.5 from City Hall, with Gilroy at 10).
- About even with Alma Avenue: Silver Creek (about 4 from Santa Teresa and 5 from Alma Avenue) and Evergreen (about 6 and 5.5).
- Gilroy is closer for San Martin, about 6.5 miles away, with Santa Teresa at 14.
CDL Skills Tests at Santa Teresa
Commercial skills tests (vehicle inspection, basic control skills and road test) are given here by appointment. Before you book, the DMV’s CDL page requires a commercial learner’s permit held at least 14 days, any required entry-level driver training finished before the test date and, for an original Class A or B license, 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training certified on form DL 1236. Bring the vehicle for the class you want and a licensed CDL holder to ride with you.
The DMV’s truck drivers page marks Santa Teresa, Fremont and the Mountain View Industry Business Center as the three CDL sites not included in its modernized skills test, so confirm which version you’ll take when you book. If Santa Teresa’s dates don’t work, the Mountain View center is about 22 miles west-northwest and Fremont about 26 miles north-northwest.
Other Services and What Goes Elsewhere
- 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, 10.00% inside San Jose and 9.75% in Morgan Hill and unincorporated areas such as Coyote and San Martin. 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 Safeway at 179 Branham Lane (5:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m.) and 2980 E. Capitol Expressway (5:00 a.m.–1:00 a.m.). DMV business partners also handle some registration work for their own fee, including Montana Registration, 4122 Monterey Road, open 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Monday–Saturday.
- Elsewhere: mobile driver’s license help at Los Gatos, about 11 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 Santa Teresa
- San Jose (Alma Avenue), 111 W. Alma Ave., about 8 miles northwest: full service, with a kiosk
- Los Gatos, 600 N. Santa Cruz Ave., about 11 miles west: full service and mobile license help, but no kiosk
- Santa Clara, 3665 Flora Vista Ave., about 14.5 miles northwest: full service, with a kiosk
- Gilroy, 6984 Automall Parkway, Suite A, about 20 miles southeast: full service, with a kiosk
Our San Jose DMV offices page compares the city’s two offices, and our California DMV offices list covers the rest of the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are in San Jose, but the office the DMV calls “San Jose” is at 111 W. Alma Ave., about 8 miles northwest. Santa Teresa, at 180 Martinvale Lane, handles the same licensing and vehicle work and is the city’s only office for commercial skills tests.
No. Morgan Hill has no DMV field office. Santa Teresa is slightly closer, about 9.5 miles from Morgan Hill City Hall, with Gilroy at about 10, so compare their live waits before you go.
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 Teresa is the full-service DMV for South San Jose, Coyote and Morgan Hill, with a kiosk, motorcycle tests and the city’s only CDL skills tests. Check its live wait against Alma Avenue’s before you go, book ahead for any drive test, confirm the CDL test version when you book, and go to Los Gatos for mobile license help.
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