The Taft DMV at 165 Center St. is open to the public only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On those days it’s a full-service field office for driver’s licenses, ID cards, REAL ID, knowledge tests, behind-the-wheel drive tests, titles, registration and VIN verifications; it doesn’t give motorcycle tests and has no kiosk. It’s the nearest DMV for Taft, Ford City, Fellows, Maricopa and McKittrick; on the other weekdays, the nearest open offices are in Bakersfield, about 24 to 30 miles away.
Taft DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | Taft DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 165 Center St., Taft, CA 93268 (get directions) |
| Hours | Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends |
| Live wait times | On the DMV page for this office |
| Appointments | Optional for most visits; required for behind-the-wheel tests |
| Motorcycle tests | Not given here; Shafter gives them on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Bakersfield’s F Street office on weekdays |
| Walk-ins | Scan the QR code at the entrance or check in at the information desk |
| Self-service kiosk | None here; the nearest are in Bakersfield, about 24 to 30 miles away |
| 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) |
Taft is one of 20 offices the DMV cut to two or three public days a week in July 2024. On the days it’s closed, staff work on transactions customers started online.
Is Taft the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from City Hall or the center of each city or community:
- Taft is closest for Taft itself (under a mile from City Hall), Ford City (about 1), Fellows (about 5.5), Maricopa (about 6 from City Hall) and McKittrick (about 15, with Shafter at 24).
- Shafter is closer for Buttonwillow, about 13 miles away, with Taft at 18.
- On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when Taft is closed, the nearest offices open five days a week are Bakersfield Southwest, about 24 miles east-northeast, and Bakersfield’s F Street office, about 30 northeast. Shafter keeps the same Tuesday-and-Thursday schedule as Taft.
What Taft 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 tests by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- 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, 8.25% in Taft, Maricopa and unincorporated Kern County, including Ford City, Fellows and McKittrick. Our guide to registering a car in California lists the documents and fees.
- Elsewhere: commercial skills tests at Bakersfield’s F Street office, about 30 miles northeast and the closest CDL test site; mobile driver’s license help at the Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks offices, about 72 and 73 miles southeast and the closest on the DMV’s list of offices that help in person; and smog checks at licensed smog check stations.
No Kiosk at Taft: Where to Renew Instead
DMV counters don’t handle registration renewals or driver and vehicle records, so with no kiosk here, use DMV online services or renew by mail. The DMV lists no kiosks or business partners in Taft. The nearest kiosks are in Bakersfield, including the Superior Grocers at 2100 White Lane (7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. daily) and the ones inside the Bakersfield field offices.
Before You Go
With two open days a week, start any license or REAL ID application online and bring the original documents so one trip is enough; 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). It’s closed on Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 26); the other holidays through New Year’s fall on days it’s already closed.
Other DMV Offices Near Taft
- Bakersfield Southwest, 7000 Schirra Court, about 24 miles east-northeast: full service and a kiosk on weekdays, but no motorcycle tests; closed until Nov. 24
- Shafter, 548 Walker St., about 27 miles north-northeast: Tuesdays and Thursdays only, with motorcycle tests but no kiosk
- Bakersfield (F Street), 3120 F St., about 30 miles northeast: full service, kiosk, motorcycle and CDL skills tests on weekdays
- Arvin, 317 Campus Drive, about 35 miles east: full service and motorcycle tests on weekdays, but no kiosk
Our Bakersfield DMV offices page compares the two Bakersfield offices, and our California DMV offices list covers the rest of Kern County and the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the nearest open offices are in Bakersfield, about 24 to 30 miles away; Shafter, the other nearby office, also opens only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
No. The DMV doesn’t list motorcycle tests at Taft. Book one at Shafter, about 27 miles north-northeast, on a Tuesday or Thursday, or at Bakersfield’s F Street office, about 30 miles northeast, on any weekday.
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
Taft’s DMV is a full-service office for Taft, Ford City, Fellows, Maricopa and McKittrick, open only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and without a kiosk or motorcycle tests. Start applications online so one visit covers it, book ahead for a drive test, renew online or by mail, and plan on Bakersfield on other weekdays and for motorcycle and CDL skills tests.
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