After the previous DMV location in Aurora closed on Friday, a new location with more space and services is now open.

The new facility, at 970 N. Lake St. and officially opened its doors at 2 p.m. Monday, is being called a DMV+ because it offers services not available in traditional DMV locations. It is also twice the size of Aurora’s previous DMV location.

“The Aurora DMV was not keeping up with an increased demand for services resulting from the rapid population growth throughout the western suburbs,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at a press conference in Aurora Monday morning. “The community had simply outgrown the DMV, which had become outdated — let’s be honest — over a decade ago.”

Aurora’s previous DMV, which was at 339 E. Indian Trail, had long wait times and was cramped, he said, but “that’s all about to change today.”

“When doors open later this afternoon, Aurora will have a top-notch, state-of-the-art DMV worthy of the second largest city in the state,” Giannoulias said.

The new DMV+ has 31 service stations, eight more than the previous Aurora location. The stations each have cash registers as well as printers and are staffed by employees cross-trained in driver and vehicle services, according to Giannoulias.

He said this will reduce the number of steps in the process, making it easier to navigate and reducing wait times.

“The result is a seamless, faster and more satisfying experience,” he said.

A large parking lot will be able to accommodate more customers and will eventually allow the new DMV+ to offer motorcycle testing, which could not be done at the old location because of the limited parking space, according to a news release.

Aurora’s new DMV also offers expanded services that people otherwise would need to travel into downtown Chicago or to Springfield in order to access, Giannoulias said.

Expanded services include business services such as filing documents like articles of incorporation and filing trademarks, index services such as obtaining apostilles and certificates of authority for foreign use documents, personnel services like employment testing and administrative hearings for certain drivers who have had their licenses revoked, according to a news release.

The new DMV is by appointment only and is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The facility will, however, offer walk-in REAL ID services on Saturdays during the facility’s normal hours until May 31.

Creating the new facility has been a team effort between the state and the city of Aurora, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, said at Monday’s press conference. Both Giannoulias and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said Hernandez was pivotal in bringing the new DMV facility to Aurora.

Other than through a media push, Office of the Secretary of State officials are informing the public about the new DMV facility through social media, signs at the old location and through the Secretary of State Office’s online DMV Facility Finder. Office and Aurora city officials announced the closure of the old location on Thursday through posts to respective Facebook pages.

However, as of 3 p.m. on Monday, the REAL ID Saturday DMV Facilities list on the Office of the Secretary of State’s website still lists the old Aurora DMV location. Also, both Google Maps and Apple Maps point to the old location when searching for “Aurora DMV” as of Monday afternoon.

Tom Evins, an adjunct faculty member at Waubonsee Community College, said he and many other people found themselves in line at the new, but not yet open, facility on Lake Street in the early morning on Saturday to access walk-in REAL ID services.

It wasn’t until the expected opening time of 7:30 a.m. came and went that he and others lined up at the new facility started trying to figure out why the DMV locations were closed, he said.

The list of REAL ID Saturday DMV Facilities on the Office of the Secretary of State website still showed the old location, but when he showed up, he found a sign that said the facility had moved to the new Lake Street location, Evins said. That sign, however, did not say the new facility would be opening for the first time on Monday afternoon.

Losing another week of planning time ahead of the May 7 date the federal government is expected to start enforcing the national REAL ID law is “quite frustrating,” Evins said.

Giannoulias, during the press conference, said his office has been getting the word out about the importance of getting REAL IDs early starting two years ago, but there is now “unpredicted demand” here in Illinois and across the country, he said.

Despite the demand, Illinois is dealing with it better than other states, and his office has put in place various proactive initiatives, according to Giannoulias. But he said many people do not need a REAL ID, especially if they have a passport already.

Plus, his office will not stop issuing REAL IDs on May 7, he said.

rsmith@chicagotribune.com