Is your state DMV website mobile-friendly?
An analysis of mobile-friendly DMV websites
CivicDMV launched the DMV Digital Standards Project to analyze the state of all Department of Motor Vehicles public-facing websites. This project hopes to set a baseline standard and raise the bar for DMV websites across the US.
CivicDMV first looked at the state of HTTPs on DMV websites. Next is an analysis of the state of mobile-friendliness and DMV websites.
Mobile-friendly and why it matters
When a website is mobile-friendly, it means it is designed and built to adjust to mobile devices (smartphone and tablet).
Today the vast majority of Americans — 96% — now own a cellphone of some kind. The share of Americans that own smartphones is now 81%…. Cell phone ownership has exponentially grown as more people have adopted on-line services to complete everyday tasks such as banking, shopping, and getting from point A to B.
For many individuals, a phone is their primary channel for online services. It is important for government to focus on ensuring that the public has adequate access to important services and information.
According to analytics.usa.gov, there are about 3.48 billion visits to federal government websites in a 90 day period. Out of 3.48 billion, 45% of those visits are through a mobile device.
Having a mobile-friendly website is particularly important for the DMV because it is one of the highest touch agencies that interfaces with the public on a regular basis. Being able to access DMV services from a number of different devices provides more access.
In 2018, the U.S. Congress passed the Connected Government Act, which requires all federal agencies to either redesign or create websites for the public that ensures access (read more). Although the DMV is not a federally run agency, the same principle applies.
DMV and mobile responsiveness
As you can see from our analysis, DMV websites across the United States are inconsistent in delivering a mobile-friendly experience. However, with that being said, the majority (82%) of DMV public-facing websites are mobile- friendly with only 18% not meeting the standard.
Mobile Responsiveness: Yes vs No
Mobile responsiveness: By state
Currently, the following state DMV websites are not mobile-friendly:
Note: Hawaii does not have a state-run DMV. The DMVs in Hawaii are run at the local level.
Methodology
CivicDMV used Google’s mobile-friendly test tool for checking if the website homepage link is mobile responsive or not.
Data
We recorded the data in this spreadsheet and exported using google data studio to create a data visualization.
Take action
Start with ensuring that key online services can be accessed via phone. Look at these resources for how to start designing mobile-friendly websites.
Get involved
Learn more about the DMV Digital Standards Project and how you can get involved.
