Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson today announced the opening of a new office and self-service station at 580 East Warren Avenue in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood.
The new office is open for business 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays except Wednesdays, when it is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The self-service station, which can print tabs, registrations and temporary licenses and IDs, is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
“I’m committed to making government work for every Michigander and ensuring that no matter where someone lives they have access to convenient and efficient services,” said Secretary Benson. “This new office increases our ability to provide in-person service in Detroit, where past office closures forced city residents to wait in line for hours on end. Now visitors at all our offices across the state are in and out in an average of 20 minutes or less.”
Benson’s administration has also doubled the number of services available online and at self-service stations and installed more than 160 of the new machines statewide, mostly at Kroger, Meijer and other grocery stores. Now 60% of all transactions are conducted outside of Secretary of State offices, making it easy for those who need an office visit to schedule one and be in and out quickly.
“Ensuring that Detroiters have easy access to Secretary of State services is very important. My office hears regularly from our residents about wanting closer connection to government,” Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) said. “Despite previous efforts, Detroit has generally not had enough important services. Secretary Benson has done an incredible job of expanding accessibility and options across the state, and we are grateful for the new Midtown location.”
“This new Secretary of State office will be a great and convenient addition to Detroit,” said State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck). “The new branch gives customers the option to use the Secretary of State self-service station, cutting down time spent at the branch. It’s a win-win for the community — our seniors, families, and young folks have another accessible space to renew licenses, transfer titles, and more.”
“We’re glad to welcome the Secretary of State office to the Midtown neighborhood,” said Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson. “The easily-accessed services that this new office will provide improves the quality of life for the entire campus community and the growing population of the Midtown district.”
The new office, like all Secretary of State offices, offers both scheduled and walk-up service. More than 80% of the visitors who walk up are served immediately, and the remaining few are offered the option to wait or are assisted in scheduling a return visit, usually within 24 hours, to be served immediately.
In recent decades, while the state’s population and number of vehicles increased, the Department of State cut nearly half its offices and staff. In Detroit specifically, one office was closed, another was moved out of the city, and two in the surrounding area were also closed.
Residents can access Secretary of State online services at Michigan.gov/SOS. They can schedule an office visit at the same site or by calling 888-SOS-MICH.
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