Albany’s DMV is moving out of its longtime location in the city’s South End and into to a space on Central Avenue. It could make things easier for some customers but the move could have unintended consequences in a neighboring county.

Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola says he’s been forced to make difficult decisions.

“We are going to be overwhelmed. Parking, equipment. I have three satellite offices. That’s going to be over with,” said Merola.

Merola says closing Albany’s current South End location means many people will instead go to Troy. To staff Troy’s office, Merola says he will be forced to close three satellite offices: Schodack, East Greenbush and Hoosick Falls.

The DMV’s lease at the Pearl Street location, a county owned building, expires at the end of October. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy wants the new DMV to open on Central Ave. as soon as the old one closes. He plans to move a county agency into the Pearl Street building.

“They decided they wanted to go into a different direction and move and it gives me an opportunity to restack so instead of paying rent for a certain agency, I’ll be able to put that agency in there and save the taxpayers money,” McCoy said.

There’s some conflict over that timetable. The State Office of General Services says the Pearl Street DMV will remain open until the new space is ready, possibly early next year.

“I can’t keep giving extensions so they can get ready, because we need to get ready too,” said McCoy.

Merola wrote a letter Thursday urging Governor Andrew Cuomo and County Executive McCoy to keep the South Pearl Street DMV open.

It's unclear when Albany's new DMV will open and who will move into the old space. But state leaders say the Central Ave. property will have plenty of parking and be easily accessible through public transportation.