SANDPOINT — Bonner County Department of Motor Vehicle offices will only provide services to Bonner County residents starting Monday, the Assessor's Office has announced.

Prior to service, customers will be required to present an Idaho driver's license or other state-issued identification which demonstrate their residency in Bonner County.

Dina Brown, a manager assessor and DMV official, said the DMV has always provided services regardless of residency, but complications with the Idaho Transportation Department's infrastructure upgrades, the novel coronavirus pandemic and attendant restrictions enacted by neighboring counties have resulted in a flood of customers seeking to avoid long lines in Kootenai County and elsewhere.

"This has overwhelmed local resources, created untenable wait times and forced customers to stand outdoors in cold temperatures to adhere to social distancing guidelines," Brown said in a news release. "Bonner County DMV's first obligation is to the taxpayers of Bonner County and it will take all reasonable steps to ensure they receive the highest level of customer service possible."

It was not immediately clear how many Kootenai County residents have obtained driver's licenses in Bonner County. Brown could not be reached Friday for further comment, although Assessor Donna Gow said Bonner County has been serving Kootenai County residents for the past three years.

The restriction on serving out-of-county residents will remain in effect until further notice, according to the Assessor's Office.

The move is similar to that taken in early November by Benewah County’s DMV for similar reasons.

The decision by Benewah County Assessor Donna Spier restricted service at the DMV to the county's residents as well as residents in the border communities of Worley, Harrison, Medimont, Calder, Avery and Clarkia.

In a Nov. 2 press release, Spier said the customer count from neighboring counties was growing, putting a strain on already limited county resources.

“These positions are paid by Benewah County tax dollars and they need to be able to do the jobs they are hired to do," Spier said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee