The Tulare DMV at 274 E. Cross Ave. is 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, with a self-service kiosk; it doesn’t give motorcycle tests. It’s the nearest DMV for Tulare, Tipton and Waukena and for Corcoran in Kings County. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays).
Tulare DMV Hours, Address and Contact Details
| Detail | Tulare DMV |
|---|---|
| Address | 274 E. Cross Ave., Tulare, CA 93274 (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 Visalia, Hanford, Porterville and Delano |
| Appointments | Optional for most visits; required for behind-the-wheel tests |
| Motorcycle tests | Not given here; Visalia, about 9 miles north-northeast, gives them |
| 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) |
Is Tulare the Closest DMV to You?
Straight-line distances from City Hall or the center of each city or community:
- Tulare is closest for Tulare itself (under a mile from City Hall), Waukena (about 10.5, with Hanford at 14), Tipton (about 11, with Porterville at 17) and Corcoran (about 14 from City Hall, with Hanford at 15.5).
- Another office is closer for Goshen (Visalia, about 8, with Tulare at 10) and Pixley (Delano, about 14.5, with Porterville and Tulare at 17).
What Tulare 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; motorcycle tests are given at Visalia, Hanford and Porterville.
- 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 Tulare and Corcoran and 7.75% in unincorporated Tulare County, including Tipton and Waukena. 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: the Foods Co at 1210 E. Prosperity Ave. (6:00 a.m.–1:00 a.m.) and the Superior Grocers at 115 S. West St. (7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., until 10:30 p.m. Thursdays). DMV business partners nearby also handle some registration work for their own fee, including Sunnyside Business Center, 509 W. Bardsley Ave. (9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. weekdays and 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Saturday), and Reg Pros, 1115 E. Prosperity Ave. (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Saturday).
- Elsewhere: commercial skills tests at the Fresno Commercial Drive Test Center, about 41 miles northwest and the closest CDL test site; mobile driver’s license help at Clovis, about 45 miles north-northwest and the only Central California 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 Tulare
- Visalia, 1711 E. Main St., about 9 miles north-northeast: full service and motorcycle tests, but no kiosk
- Hanford, 701 W. Hanford Armona Road, about 18 miles west-northwest: full service, kiosk and motorcycle tests
- Porterville, 329 E. Olive Ave., about 21 miles east-southeast: full service, kiosk and motorcycle tests
- Reedley, 1890 E. Dinuba Ave., about 27 miles north-northwest: full service, but no kiosk or motorcycle tests
Our California DMV offices list covers the rest of Tulare County and the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The DMV doesn’t list motorcycle tests at Tulare. The closest office that gives them is Visalia, about 9 miles north-northeast; Hanford and Porterville, about 18 and 21 miles away, also do.
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
Tulare is the full-service DMV for Tulare, Tipton, Waukena and Corcoran, with a kiosk but no motorcycle tests. Check its live wait against Visalia’s before you go, book ahead for a drive test, use the office or a grocery store kiosk for renewals, and go to Visalia for a motorcycle test, the Fresno Commercial Drive Test Center for a CDL skills test and Clovis for mobile license help.
Add Comment