The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch in Griffith will soon close permanently, Indiana State BMV Commissioner Joe B. Hoage announced Thursday.
“The decision to close Griffith came after careful assessment of branch activity over the past several years,” Hoage said in a press statement. “It is not an easy decision to close a branch, but with six other branches within 13 miles of Griffith residents have nearby options to conduct their business.”
The exact date of the closure is unknown, but it will occur sometime “in the fourth quarter of 2024,” according to the statement.
Hoage added that the BMV will also work closely with Griffith town officials to ensure a BMV Connect kiosk remains in Griffith. BMV Connect kiosks offer more than a dozen of the most common BMV transactions, including registration and driver’s license renewal, he said.
Griffith residents and town officials had urged Hoage to keep open the license branch at 1038 Ridge Rd. during a public hearing he conducted last month at Griffith Town Hall. Hoage told attendees that the Griffith BMV branch has one of the best transaction times in the state, but transactions at the branch have decreased 36% between 2018 and 2023. In addition, residents living in Griffith’s 46319 zip code conducted more out-of-branch transactions than in-person transactions at the Griffith branch in 2023.
Hoage said that losing the branch would save $350,000 a year — funds that could be applied to the construction of a new, larger BMV on U.S. 30 in Merrillville. In addition to Griffith, there are BMV branches located in Merrillville, Schererville, East Chicago, Crown Point, Gary and Hammond.
Hoage noted that Marion County, which includes Indianapolis, has six branches serving approximately 1 million people. One branch was closed this year as part of a cost-saving consolidation plan. Lake County, with a population size of about half of Marion County, currently has seven branches. He added that no employees would lose their jobs, as they would be reassigned to other locations in Lake County.
Griffith Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd, expressed disappointment over the closure.
“We have no choice but to work towards finding the best solution to ensure that service is still provided in a suitable new location by the automated kiosks that are currently in the Griffith branch,” Ryfa told the Post-Tribune.
Ryfa said that he spoke to state BMV officials, who assured the town they will include their input in determining where those kiosks locations may be.
“We encourage anyone with any suggestions to please contact the Town Council or call Town Hall,” he said. “Contact information is provided on the town website, www.griffith.in.gov.”
Indiana State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, who had attended the public hearing and pressed the state to keep the branch open, offered a statement on the decision.
“I want to thank the community members who shared their input at last month’s public hearing,” he said. “BMV branches play a vital role in connecting residents with state resources and often represent their primary interaction with government services. With the Griffith BMV branch closing, residents will now need to travel outside their community to access these essential services. I am deeply disappointed by the IBMV’s decision and will work to ensure that a Connect Kiosk, which offers many common BMV transactions, remains available for the Griffith community.”
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
