CALDRACalifornia Deputy Registrar Association

The California benefit case

Spend less to run agencies. Give people more ways to get served.

California must test and measure each benefit

CALDRA wants qualified private deputies to run selected DMV offices, as they do in Ohio. The goals are lower state costs, shorter visits, more access, and faster service improvements.

The scale of the opportunity

California runs a large public service operation.

California DMV reports 214 facilities and about 8,299 employees. It also reports 6,390 business partner sites. These figures were current on January 1, 2026.

CALDRA's plan goes further. Private deputy registrars would run selected offices under a state contract. They would take on approved staff, site, and daily operating costs.

Review California DMV statistics

Ohio's structure shows

  • Deputies and their employees are not state employees
  • Deputies carry payroll and related employer obligations
  • Deputy-provided sites supply and maintain the facility
  • The state sets staffing, service, security, and facility rules

California could gain

  • Lower direct agency payroll and facility costs
  • More locations financed and operated by deputies
  • Customer-service incentives tied to performance
  • Privately financed technology and operating innovation

Four benefits to prove

Make every promise measurable.

Ohio shows how the structure can work. California should publish its own cost forecast and service goals before deciding how far to go.

Benefit 01

Operating savings

Compare the state's full cost per transaction with the deputy model. Include state oversight and the cost of the change.

Benefit 02

Time returned

Track wait time, service time, repeat visits, and the time spent traveling to an office.

Benefit 03

Service within reach

Set clear goals for sites, hours, rural and urban coverage, disability access, and language access.

Benefit 04

Faster innovation

Track use, uptime, security, and completed work. Report how much state technology spending the model avoids.

Official operating evidence

The structure behind the benefit case.

California Department of Motor Vehicles

California DMV Statistics

Reports 214 facilities, about 8,299 employees, and 6,390 business partner sites as of January 1, 2026.

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles

Deputy Registrar Opportunity

Explains competitive selection, approved services, and site criteria, including deputy-provided locations where the operator supplies the site.

Continue the conversation

The next question is how a deputy registrar model works.

Ohio provides an official example of competitive appointments and state-authorized services. California would still need its own law.

Review the Ohio model