DeKalb County citizens are taking advantage more and more of the Self-Service Kiosk for renewing their driver’s license. Since the service was installed back in 2012, it has grown in popularity.

In a letter to DeKalb County Clerk Jimmy Poss, Director of Driver Services for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Michael Hogan said, “I would like to thank you and your staff for continuing to host the Department’s Self-Service Kiosk. For the citizens of DeKalb County, the kiosk is a valuable resource for conducting driver license business in the absence of a full-service center.”

Hogan continued, “Since 2012, when the kiosk was installed, the usage rates have continued to increase each year. For the past two years, the DeKalb County self-service kiosk has ranked number one in the number of people using the kiosk with a county population of less than 30,000.”

“As the department continues to increase the services allowed on the kiosk, you should expect to see the usage rate continue to increase, which means less travel time for the citizens of DeKalb County needing to conduct driver license business.”

Referring to charts showing the kiosk usage over the years, Hogan remarked on its growth. “As you can see, the usage rate continued to climb, the exception was 2020, due to COVID 19, which decreased all activity in the Driver Services Division”.

In 2017 the Kiosk Usage Rate was at 2,876 and continued to climb, not counting the COVID years. In 2018 that Kiosk usage rate was 3,495, followed by 3,340 in 2019, and 2,342 last year. This year the Kiosk usage rate is 376, from January 1 to May 1.

The Driver Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Safety installed the kiosk in DeKalb County in 2012, and its usage has grown every year. The statistics on the usage of the kiosk from 2012 to 2015 were:

2012 - 26 transactions
2013 – 457
2014 -502
2015 -1,003

Citizens may renew or replace an existing driver’s license or state identification card and pay for the transaction with a credit or debit card at the kiosk. The technology takes the citizen’s photograph for use on the driver license. As a security measure, the kiosk performs facial verification with the image on record. A citizen leaves the kiosk with a paper interim document for use until the secure driver’s license or ID card is received. The interim license is valid for 20 days. The secure driver’s license or ID card is mailed to the applicant’s home within five to seven business days.

County Clerk Poss he and his staff are available for customers who want to use the kiosk, or for other services they may need.