California DMV Temporarily Closes San Diego Clairemont Office After Water Leak
The California DMV closed its San Diego Clairemont office at 4375 Derrick Drive at 5 p.m. on November 3, 2026, until further notice because of water leak damage. Customers are being redirected to four nearby offices.
Source announcement: 2026-11-04 · Takes effect: 2026-11-03
If you planned to visit or usually use the San Diego Clairemont DMV office at 4375 Derrick Drive, you will need another option for now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles closed the office to the public starting at 5 p.m. on November 3, 2026, until further notice after it was damaged by a water leak. The building will undergo water remediation, and the DMV is directing customers to nearby offices.
The DMV says the health and safety of staff and customers is its top priority. It has apologized for the inconvenience.
Nearby offices to use instead
Until the issue is resolved, the DMV says customers can get in-office services at these locations during regular business hours. Distances are from the Clairemont office:
- San Diego (Normal St.): 3960 Normal St., 8 miles away. See our San Diego office page.
- Chula Vista: 30 N. Glover Ave., 16 miles away
- Poway: 13461 Community Road, 17 miles away
- El Cajon: 1450 Graves Ave., 18 miles away
The announcement does not list specific hours for these offices or say whether they take walk-ins or require appointments. Check the office details and booking options on the official DMV website before you go. Our guide to visiting the California DMV explains appointments and what to bring.
Try online first
The DMV notes that most tasks do not require an office visit. Some simple self-service transactions are no longer available in offices at all. The agency encourages customers to use its online services, for example eligible driver's license and vehicle registration renewals, at dmv.ca.gov.
If you are not sure whether your task can be done online, the DMV's Service Advisor on its website shows the available ways to complete common transactions.
You can also sign up for paperless vehicle registration and driver's license renewal notices. To do this, sign in to or create a secure online account at dmv.ca.gov and opt in.
Key dates and reopening
- Closed since: 5 p.m., November 3, 2026
- Reopening: no date announced. The DMV says only "until further notice."
The release does not say what happens to appointments already booked at Clairemont. If you have one, check its status on the DMV's official site. We will update our San Diego Clairemont office page when the DMV announces a reopening.
Where to get it done officially
All transactions, appointments and online services are handled by the California DMV on its official website, dmv.ca.gov. DMV Decoded is an independent guide and is not part of the DMV. You can read the agency's announcement here: San Diego Clairemont DMV to Close Temporarily.