DMV Services No Longer Available at AAA Locations in New Haven, Fairfield Counties

Connecticut residents looking to renew a driver’s license or ID card in the New Year can no longer do that at AAA Northeast offices in New Haven and Fairfield Counties.

After shutting off its equipment at AAA Northeast locations Sunday morning, a DMV spokesperson said it has added extra staff at offices in both counties.

“I was lucky I got the service before it closed,” Diane Baranowsky said.

Baranowsky last renewed her license in June at the AAA Northeast branch in Branford.

“I can’t even count how many times, but it’s always been a very efficient service,” she said. “It’s very disappointing because it was very convenient for us in the community and as a AAA member it was a nice added service.”

The DMV and AAA Northeast had been in negotiations since October about renewing their agreement. Commissioner Michael Bzdyra said the DMV could not agree to AAA’s terms of excluding non-members from DMV services.

"We need to maintain service levels while controlling costs,” Bzdyra said, “As such, we cannot subsidize a private organization's provision of DMV services if that organization is not willing to find ways to serve the general public."

A spokesperson for the AAA Northeast could not be immediately reached.

At the DMV in Hamden Wednesday, Petros Timos from Wallingford said he was surprised he only waited about half an hour to renew his car registration.

“And it seems like it improved for the New Year,” he said, “so I’m pretty content with it.”

Baranowsky said she hopes the lines won’t be too long the next time she needs to go to the DMV.

“That’s always been a nightmare in the past,” she said, “but that’s what we have to do we have to do it.”

DMV services are still available at eight AAA offices in other parts of the state for both AAA members and non-members. Those offices are located in Avon, Cromwell, Enfield, Manchester, Old Saybrook, Plainville, Waterford and West Hartford.

Later this year, the DMV plans to roll out an online system where residents can renew their driver’s licenses at home. Residents will only have to visit the DMV every 12 years to take a new photo.

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