Below are frequently asked questions and answers for transactions conducted at Saratoga County DMV. If you do not see your question below, please search the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles database of frequently asked questions.
Appointment Questions
No appointment is necessary. Our Ballston Spa and Wilton locations offer walk-in service only. Our Clifton Park DMV location offers walk-in service and appointments with priority service given to those with appointments.
Forms are available at each office for pick up during business hours; they are located at the entrance/vestibule.
You can cancel your appointment at any time using the link provided in your confirmation email or reminder email.
If you don’t see a confirmation email from Saratoga County DMV, please check your spam or junk folder or check your email provider settings.
We are aware that some customers are not receiving confirmation emails and we are working to address the issue. If you see the “thank you for booking” page after scheduling your appointment, this is a confirmation that your appointment is in the system. We recommend that you write down your appointment information and take a screen shot of the “thank you for booking” confirmation screen until this issue is resolved.
You may cancel your appointment using the cancellation link in your confirmation or reminder emails and make a new appointment using our appointment calendars. However, we cannot change the appointment time outside of the set times available for each transaction type. Appointment times vary based on the type of service provided and are determined according to typical processing times for each transaction so we may provide services as efficiently as possible to all of our customers.
We accept credit/debit cards, cash, checks and money orders. Sorry, but we are not able to split payments.
License & Non-Driver ID Questions
Before leaving your local DMV office they will issue you a temporary license to use until your new one is received in the mail. Your new license will arrive in approximately 2-3 weeks.
May 3, 2023. For more information about REAL ID and federally accepted forms of REAL ID, please see our brochure, “Is REAL ID For Me?“, located on our Forms page.
Enhanced features:
- Costs an additional $30. This is in addition to regular transaction fees.
- Federal REAL ID compliant
- Shows your full legal name
- Shows your residential address
- Has an American Flag displayed on the document
- Can be used to board a domestic flight
- Can be used to enter a federal building or military base
- Can be used for photo identification purposes
- Can be used to cross a U.S. border by land or water to/from Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries
REAL ID features:
- No additional cost. Regular transaction fees do apply.
- Federal REAL ID compliant
- Shows your full legal name
- Shows your residential address
- Has a star displayed on the document
- Can be used to board a domestic flight
- Can be used to enter a federal building or military base
- Can be used for photo identification purposes
Standard features:
- Can be used to board a domestic flight only until May 3, 2023
- Is not Federal REAL ID compliant
- No additional cost. Regular transaction fees apply.
- Shows your mailing address
- Has “not for federal purposes” displayed on the document
Please visit our Licenses, Permits and ID Cards page for information about how to get one of these documents.
An out-of-state driver’s license or Canadian driver’s license may be exchanged for a NYS driver’s license if said license includes your photograph, is not suspended or revoked, and the driver’s license has:
- Been valid for a minimum of 6 months, OR
- Has not expired in the past 12 months, OR
- Is a valid CDL and has been valid for any length of time
You will need to visit a DMV office to transfer your out of state license to a NYS license. During your visit you will need to:
- Pass a vision test at the DMV or bring a completed Eye Test Report (MV-619)
- Surrender your out-of-state license
- Bring proof of identity. Please see How to apply for a New York Learner Permit/ Driver License/Non-Driver ID card (ID-44) for a complete list of acceptable proofs of identity.
No. Learner Permit, CDL and Endorsement exams may be taken Monday through Friday until 3:30PM at all Saratoga County DMV locations. Appointments are available at our Clifton Park DMV location and priority service will be given to those with appointments. To make an appointment, click here.
Please visit the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website for information regarding license suspensions and revocations.
For information about how to request restoration after a revocation, click here. (NYS DMV website)
For information about how to pay a suspension termination fee, click here. (NYS DMV website)
Registration, Title & License Plate Questions
- Proof of Ownership
- Proof of Identity and Date of Birth
- Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statements (if previously owned)
- NYS Insurance Identification Card
- Form MV-82
- Proof of Sales Tax Payment, Sales Tax Exemption or Purchase Price
Boat: All boats that are powered by a motor and are operated on public waterways must be registered. This also includes boats in which the motor is not the primary means of propulsion. Please complete form MV-82-B and form DTF-802.
Snowmobile: Each snowmobile must be registered UNLESS it is exclusively used on the owner’s private property or on such property that the snowmobile’s owner has a contractual right to use. Please complete form MV-82SN and form DTF-802.
ATV: Any ATV driven anywhere in New York State, even solely on private property, must be registered (except use for agricultural purposes or not-for-hire snowplowing). They may be operated on public lands posted for ATV use and private property ONLY with the landowner’s permission. Please complete form MV-82 and form DTF-802.
- Provide proof of your disability; form MV-664.1 or statement from healthcare provider (must describe disabling condition and verify that the disability qualifies according to law).
- Bring your current vehicle plates to surrender
- Show proof of identity
- Complete application form and pay fee of $18
Yes. If you are without insurance coverage and do not immediately surrender your plates to DMV, your license and registration will be suspended indefinitely.
Questions Regarding Other DMV Issues & Services
Name change must be done in our office. Please bring ID and the court marriage or divorce papers as proof of name change. There will be a fee of $12.50 to receive a new license with the updated name. There is no fee for a new registration document for a current registration, however current registration and title must be submitted.
DMV must be notified within 10 days of the move. You may do this by completing a change of address form (form MV-232) and submitting it by mail or in person with an appointment.
A motor vehicle registered in NYS must have a minimum coverage of $25,000/$50,000 for injury, $50,000/$100,000 for death, and $10,000 for property damage from any one accident. NYS is a no-fault state.
To pay a civil penalty or suspension fee, please stop into one of our three convenient Saratoga County DMV locations Monday through Friday, between 8A.M. and 3:30P.M.