One of two Kansas City DMVs is now closed. When will it reopen?
Outside the Kansas City DMV, people uttered profanities when they saw the darkened windows and locked door of the office located off of Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, between Troost and the Paseo.
A sign on the door said the location closed Friday, Jan. 9, and would remain shuttered until further notice. This is one of two Kansas City license offices, and the only one south of the river.
People looking to renew their driver’s licenses or get new plates had to go to another location, like those in Raytown, Grandview, North Kansas City and Gladstone, according to the sign.
The temporary closure will last until “a new contractor can be established,” according to a press release from the Missouri Department of Revenue.
JoDonn Chaney, spokesperson for the DOR, said the location is expected to reopen in late January or early February. This is because in recent days the DOR awarded the Kansas City contract to the Paul J. Wrabec Company Inc., which runs DMVs in Independence, Excelsior Springs, Sugar Creek, Platte City and Warrensburg.
Almost all Missouri license offices are privately owned and contracted with the DOR. The only other DMV within Kansas City limits is in the Northland off of I-29, called the Parkville DMV. The closest license office in Raytown is an 8-mile drive away.
During 30 minutes Tuesday morning, The Star saw about 20 confused people came to the door. Both Google and Apple Maps say the Troost location is open, so people kept showing up.
One of them was Billy Meier, who came with his dog Blue. The pair took the bus from the Crossroads to the DMV to get a replacement ID. Meier had been to this DMV location twice before, calling it “convenient and local.”
With the location closed, Meier and Blue have to take the bus “to different locations I’m not used to, and it takes time out of our day.”
Patricia Huffman works next door at Auto Insurance Discounters. Since Friday, she has seen people drive into the parking lot, read the sign and leave “constantly, all day.”
“It’s a busy place next door when they’re open,” said Huffman.
Kacy Wade peered at the sign on the door.
“That kind of just put a damper on my day. …I’m not going to Grandview today,” she said.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 4:12 PM.
