Mountlake Terrace Licensing now open at 22803 44th Ave. W., Suite A-2 in Cedar Plaza, saving residents drive time when registering their vehicles.

Over one-and-a-half years have passed since the closure of McMahan License Agency in 2023. When it closed, residents were left searching for the next closest office for their license needs, with the nearest being in Lynnwood.

Chad Chambers, the owner and manager of Mountlake Terrace Licensing, opened the doors on the morning of Dec. 2., but it took a year to get there. Chambers said finding the right spot in Mountlake Terrace was a challenge.

“Many of the spaces were pretty small or huge,” Chambers said. “There was no middle-size office space.”

Chambers, who has about 14 years of experience running license offices, initially looked at a location closer to the Civic Campus but was told by his real estate agent that a martial arts studio under Cedar Plaza Fitness would be available.

“It didn’t even get to market,” Chambers said.

Located near a bus stop, Chambers said the office is in a “sweet spot” on 44th Avenue West, a significant arterial in the middle of the Mountlake Terrace-Brier region.

What was once a wide-open Tae Kwon Do studio is now walled offices with a lobby. Still, there is more space than he knows what to do with. Chambers joked about adding a video game area or a nap station.

Although a date has not been set, Chambers said there will be a future ribbon cutting for the office.

Mountlake Terrace Licensing is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

— Story by Rick Sinnett.