Arizona has a lot of unique features – like having a Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) instead of a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

But what might seem like a simple name difference can lead unsuspecting customers to unauthorized websites and scams when they’re simply searching for ways to do business online with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

That’s because many people may do a web search for the “Arizona DMV” or something similar, and that can lead them to websites that aren’t affiliated with ADOT. 

“Azmvdnow.gov is the authorized web portal for the MVD, and people need to be wary of imitation sites that could be a scam,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards.

“There are fraudulent websites falsely offering motor vehicle services such as Arizona driver licenses, IDs, and vehicle titles and registration,” she added. “They can appear in searches with keywords such as MVD or DMV. The best protection for our customers is to activate their secure and personal AZ MVD Now account and save the link to their search bar or as a favorite.”

Activating an AZ MVD Now account takes just a few minutes. Customers may go to azmvdnow.gov and follow the prompts for how to activate their account. The process is free and is protected by several security protocols that are explained on the site and in an accompanying “how-to” video for those who wish to view it.

Additionally, ADOT does not offer MVD services through phone solicitations, nor does it endorse or advertise for online businesses claiming to provide MVD services.

There are legitimate authorized third party businesses that are licensed and authorized to perform MVD transactions in person. A list of businesses can be found at azdot.gov/mvd.