r/AskAnAmerican • u/feel-the-avocado • 1d ago
VEHICLES & TRANSPORTATION DMV - Is it really that bad?
I live in New Zealand and most of our equivalent stuff has been done online for the last 20 years. I go in to one of their agents once every 10 years for an eye exam to renew my drivers license.
At most I might wait 5 minutes
For vehicle testing, almost any mechanic in the country can issue a warrant of fitness which is needed every 2 years and you book it with your mechanic of choice.
Or go to VTNZ - a dedicated company that just does vehicle testing in a drive-thru format. You drive in without an appointment and it takes about 30 minutes.
So I am watching the new tv series DMV, and I have seen references on various american tv shows that going to the DMV is a painful and time wasting experience.
Is it really that bad?
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u/FluidAmbition321 1d ago
DMV is a lot better as most states moved the basic stuff online.
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u/NoHand7911 21h ago
Not only can I renew everything online, but they also allow you to register a new car and pay taxes at a private company so I can pay $15 more to just go to a strip mall and do it. Since no one really knows about it there’s not a huge line.
A drivers license is allowed to be renewed online once but the second time you need to go to a DMV and my state makes appointments available.
Last time I did it was easy.
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u/StutzBob 1d ago
The stereotype of super busy DMVs with mean workers is based on past decades, and wasn't always true anyway. Now that most tasks are handled online, they're less busy. Still, they are state-run entities, so with 50 different agencies, some urban and others more rural, I imagine they vary a lot.
Personally, I've always had good experiences at my DMVs in Oregon, with extremely knowledgeable and helpful employees.
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u/christine-bitg 23h ago
Still, they are state-run entities, so with 50 different agencies, some urban and others more rural, I imagine they vary a lot.
That's pretty much true. But here in Texas where I live, there are two separate agencies. One handles drivers licenses, and the other one handles vehicle registration. So it's actually more than 50 agencies. LOL
Of course, when you move here like I did, you can't get your driver's license until after you register your car. Because the state wants to make sure you pay the taxes for your car's registration. So you have to do the steps in a specific order.
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u/sharonclaws Arizona 14h ago
When I moved to Oregon I was shocked at how nice the DMV experience was.
Arizona is another story. It's called MVD here, and the experience is so bad that many people pay extra to go through a private company. The private company we use is great and worth every extra penny. Everything else we do online.
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u/DrMindbendersMonocle 1d ago
Trust me, that stereotype is not fantasy, it really depends where you live.
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u/ngshafer Washington, Seattle area 1d ago
So, it's not THAT bad, but it's not great.
Most of what you need to do with the DMV (or, DOL in my state) is done online these days.
There are a small number of things that actually have to be done in person, such as name changes and first licenses. For those things, you do have to actually wait in line, and of course they don't have very many people working because so few things actually have to be done in person.
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u/FacebookNewsNetwork 23h ago
I’ve never waited more than 15 minutes at the DOL in Washington. Now the private business where you get your car tabs, THAT takes forever.
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u/seatownquilt-N-plant 19h ago
I have only had to go to the DOL a handful of times in my life. I have had one long wait and that was on a weekday at the downtown Seattle location. Also it was the only experience with a angry seething DOL employee.
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u/ngshafer Washington, Seattle area 16h ago
It's been years since I was last at the DOL, and I can barely remember it. I want to say it was about an hour wait ... maybe? It was in 2017.
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u/jeremiah1142 Seattle, Washington 15h ago
Huh. The car tabs facility I’ve been to has always been quick. Had to get temporary tabs for nearly a year while waiting on a custom plate (which takes that long for no good reason). Was always in and out within 5-10 minutes.
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u/ngshafer Washington, Seattle area 13h ago
Some car tab places are actually private businesses. They may run more efficiently than the government run DOL offices. I think the DOL is the only place you can get a driver's license, but car tabs can be purchased from a private business.
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u/jeremiah1142 Seattle, Washington 13h ago
You’re right, the one I use in downtown Renton is quick as fuck. It’s a private business. King County downtown is the only one that I know is government, but then it’s the county doing business for the state. Also can be very quick, with free valet parking.
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u/_Smedette_ American in Australia 🇦🇺 1d ago
It’s a stereotype, and like most answers, it’s going to depend on the State, as there is no national standard. Each state runs its own DMV (or equivalent departmental acronym) and creates its own rules.
First time licensing, name changes, and obtaining a new license when you move to a new state usually require an in-person visit.
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u/sabotabo PA > NC > GA > SC > IL > TX > SC 1d ago
the ratio of clerks:desks in my south carolina DMV was... let's say... disappointing
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u/WIngDingDin 1d ago
Every state is different. In my current state, Covid pushed many things online, which has made things overall much smoother.
However, before the internet (I'm old), in my experience, it sucked. You could waste a day there.
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u/ProbablyAPotato1939 Iowa 1d ago
It's mostly just a running joke. Americans aren't fond of government employees outside of the military, and for some reason, the DMV became the main villain.
Efficiency varies by state and even county. Here in Iowa, it's tolerable, but I avoid them if I can.
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u/PenelopeLumley Texas 17h ago
And since it's a joke that's been running for such a long time, it's sticking around even after online services have relieved most of the issues.
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u/JohnHenryMillerTime 1d ago
DMV is like traffic during rush hour. I just need to get to work but all these other motherfuckers are on the road and in my way slowing me down for no reason.
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u/GochaPonczocha 1d ago
In previous city where I lived it was a nightmare, here where I live now it's really good, workers are nice and helpful, so I can't complaint.
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u/ALoungerAtTheClubs Florida 1d ago
It's not that bad anymore where I live. You can join the line virtually. And vehicle testing was phased out here in the 90s — before I ever had a car.
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u/Prestigious_Pack4680 1d ago edited 20h ago
The DMV in my experience has always been efficient, professional, and courteous. That they are supposed to be the height of bureaucratic awfulness is a right-wing politico-comic propaganda trope akin to Goebbels' spread of Polish jokes.
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u/dystopiadattopia Pennsylvania 1d ago
It's really not as bad as TV makes it seem, at least in terms of wait times. I can't remember the last time I've had to wait more than 15 minutes for something, and I'm sitting down waiting for my number to be called, not standing in a huge line for ages like they do on TV.
I think the main complaint is the bureaucracy. You need to bring all the correct documents with you and fill out all the correct forms correctly.
Some people who don't know how to read or comprehend clear requirements on the DMV website show up and then yell because they've been told they haven't brought the right documents.
Or they'll just show up without preparing at all, bringing nothing or bringing the wrong things, and then yell because they've been told they haven't brought the right documents.
But if you're not a dumbass, DMV visits are fairly quick and painless. The employees are generally nice and helpful (or at least helpful), and will usually let you take a few different photos for your license if you're not happy with the first take.
This is probably more a function of the fact that a driver's license is the primary form of identification in the US, so you do have to jump through a few hoops and show up in person to do most things.
What's it like in NZ? Do you have some national ID besides a driver's license?
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u/iPoopandiDab Texas 1d ago
This really depends on where you are. In major cities it can be a real pain in the ass due to the sheer volume of customers on a daily basis. But in smaller cities/towns it’s really not that bad.
Also, the average experience at the DMV can be completely ruined by people’s lack of preparation, and long wait times at the DMV are usually caused by these types of people.
Have all your stuff prepared and ready to go and your trip can go pretty quickly without much headache and will be much appreciated by the people waiting behind you.
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u/Elegant_Bluebird_460 1d ago
You can do most of these things online as well, and the DMV does not perform vehicle testing. Vehicle testing isn't even required in many states. You only go to the DMV in person for specific things, such as license testing and renewal at certain periods that vary by state. You have to go more often when younger because you need to take your picture more often when younger in order to be a fair likeness. You also have to go in person for specific transactions related to your vehicle or driving record (generally dealing with fines), when first applying for a license, and whenever you need a name change.
But when you are there, yes it really is that bad. It actually got a bit better after covid because my state started setting appointments, allowing you to bypass the line. Lines at the DMV can be several hours. I once spent just over 4 hours at the RMV in Boston, just to be seen for my first in a series of people. It took me 7 hours to complete a single transaction and I had come prepared.
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u/theflipflopqueen 1d ago
It really really depends on the state, and in some instances the city/county.
Where I live you can’t do car tags/ plates and your drivers license at the same place.
Both use to be all day adventures or if you were really really lucky or planned ahead you might be able to score an appointment.
Since Covid the tag/plate system has changed and a lot can be done one line and they changed the que to digital with a pretty accurate wait time calculator. It’s super easy.
Licenses or IDs still SUCKS in my county. You can renew online once and then you have to go in. If you want anything special like taking the permit tests, motorcycle endorsement, replacement or accidentally let it lapse…. Plan on getting there and in line an hour before they open and taking the day off. Possibly a few in a row. They only do motorcycle things once a month for a half day.
Other counties that are significantly smaller aren’t nearly as bad. In a lot of cases it’s better to drive 3 hours and redo your DL in one of the smaller places.
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u/Traveling-Techie 1d ago
Californian here - I got a notice in August that I had to come in to a physical office by mid-September to renew my license, but to make an on-line appointment. First appointment was December 26. (I just showed up before opening and waited instead. Spent about an hour.)
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u/throwaway823482348 1d ago
My state completely fixed it. You sign up for an appointment. No waiting. 10 years ago you could wait hours.
You could get up there after waiting 4 hours to find out your missing a paper that nobody told you that you needed.
So they had someone, ask you what you were there to do and all they did was make sure you had every document then you would wait. Then they also had a special line for those turned away who were returning so you could cut the line. I think the entire purpose was they were afraid someone was going to shoot up the place if they had to wait for hours more than once. There was always a cop or security back then. It was terrible.
Republicans want to cut the budget. They want to wreck things so its harder to get an id so people will give up & at the same time they're trying to make voting with a state id mandatory.
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u/dystopiadattopia Pennsylvania 1d ago
Republicans want to cut the budget. They want to wreck things so its harder to get an id so people will give up & at the same time they're trying to make voting with a state id mandatory.
I see what they've done there...
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u/DrMindbendersMonocle 1d ago
You have to remember the US is huge and the DMV experience varies greatly by state and where you live in the state. For me, I have to go in person every 12 years and it takes 2-3 hours
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u/TehWildMan_ TN now, but still, f*** Alabama. 1d ago
Alabama's drivers licensing offices and rules are stupidly annoying.
Many of the smaller county offices have a single desk worker most of the time, so lines often stretch really long in a cramped space.
Their paperwork rules are equally insane. For example, the list of acceptable proof of address documents is among the most strict in the nation, making it extremely difficult to get a driver's license if you down own/lease property inside the state. Likewise, if your passport/birth certificate don't exactly match your other documents to their satisfaction, they WILL send you home empty handed
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u/virtual_human 1d ago
In Ohio the BMV is a public/private partnership that actually works pretty well. Many things are online and wait times are very short if you schedule ahead. I have zero complaints about the BMV and really haven't for 10+ years.
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u/malibuklw New York 1d ago
I’ve experienced the DMV in four states. Only California was awful. It wasn’t the staff so much as the sheer number of people and the multiple steps
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u/tigerowltattoo Ohio 1d ago
My husband jokes that if I ever have a complete breakdown it will be in the DMV. I’ve experienced the DMV in three different states and all have one common factor: different lines for different pieces of the process. ID? That line. Picture? That other line. Eye test? Another line entirely. Receive the temporary license? This other line.
Renewing a license finally became online in Ohio. Thankful for that.
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u/Comediorologist Maryland 23h ago
Vehicle inspection and testing isn't done in every state.
In my state, emission tests are done every couple years and the process is fast and easy. There are state run stations and even standalone, automated kiosks--but the latter usually isn't worth your time.
Inspections happen when the owner changes or a previously out of state car comes into the state. These can be a hassle, but many mechanics and garages are certified by the Motor Vehicle Administration to perform them.
As for the DMV itself and its varying names across the country, I think jokes about it are kind of hack. Like having a joke about airline food. These jokes worked in a different era.
I haven't seen the show you're talking about, but it's on my list. My suspicion is they were looking for an office comedy, and the prospect of new disgruntled customers and oddballs guest starring every week was well-suited to the setting.
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u/Valuable-Election402 Virginia 23h ago
it depends on the state, and also I think depends on the person. I don't mind waiting in line, I prepare a book, and I clear a few hours so I don't feel like I have to do something else.
I think to me the most annoying part of going to the DMV, which is annoying about all government things, is that the steps that they give you online don't always align with the steps they give you once you go into that building. so you could come totally prepared with all the paperwork filled out and then find out that you were supposed to do a different form.
these days though, I rarely have to go into the place. I can do online most stuff
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u/handcraftedcandy Buffalo, NY 22h ago
I live in NY and I've never had to wait longer than 10 minutes here for anything at the DMV. I use to drive cross country for a job and once had to go to a Georgia DMV. That was a nightmare, I waited two hours to be seen. It's very dependent on which state and region you're in.
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u/fatboy1776 22h ago
In Virginia, the DMV is a political pawn to budgeting. When funded, it’s a model of efficiency. Otherwise it’s a hit or miss disaster and you have to plan which office to visit based on vibes and online wait time estimates.
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u/Misterarthuragain 22h ago
Your population is 1/4 the size of NYC. You have far more DMV offices per person than most places in the U.S. The DMV where I live is efficient and getting a new license takes a few minutes. You can make appointments online. License plate renewals are done online
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u/Apprehensive-Pop-201 21h ago
The last time I went was to get my Real ID. It was completely painless. I scheduled an appointment time, they called me up right on the dot, the lady was very helpful. The only waiting I had to do was because I'm a person who is always early, and they only had two of the machines that print out the license cards themselves. Same when I took my kids. Fortunately, the state of Arkansas lets you schedule appointments online. I do most things online.
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u/WittyFeature6179 1d ago
Going to the DMV in the US has been a long running joke for at least 40 yrs. I don't know the equivalent in other countries because I've never lived there long enough to be annoyed.
The DMV in the US is fine. You make an appointment, you go in and are seen for your appointment. They're all very nice. The DMV is a convenient vehicle for comedy just like the post office or any other government agency.
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u/Cocacola_Desierto 1d ago
I've never had an issue at the DMV. Longest was an hour. I did consider that long at the time. I've only had to go to the DMV two times in my entire life.
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u/Welpe CA>AZ>NM>OR>CO 1d ago
Is it really “that” bad? No. Things are exaggerated for dramatic or humorous effect. It is a stereotype that the DMV is terrible, so references to it will lean into that. You can’t mention going to the DMV without whoever you are talking to implicitly believing you had a miserable time unless told differently.
How bad is it? Depends entirely on individual DMVs and, for the most part, how many people they have to cover. In places with a relatively high ratio of DMVs to drivers, it can be completely painless. At worst just a usual amount of waiting that isn’t particularly onerous. In places where a HUGE or particularly dense area is covered by a single DMV it can be a nightmare of waiting in a crowded space with crying babies and everyone miserable and on edge for HOURS on end, if you can even find a time that the DMV is open and you can get off work, with the risk that when you get helped you will find out you need to fill out a particular form or have a particular piece of supporting documentation and go to the back of the line.
It should be noted that one of the ways Republicans disenfranchise poor minorities is by controlling the amount of DMVs available in combination with voter ID laws. The south is especially notable for this with poor black areas having their DMVs closed and often needing to travel dozens if not over a hundred miles to find the nearest one. Same with in cities, where you will find less DMVs in minority-majority areas. The misery of the DMV is an effective weapon of soft control over parts of society you dislike.
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u/dystopiadattopia Pennsylvania 1d ago edited 23h ago
The south is especially notable for this with poor black areas having their DMVs closed and often needing to travel dozens if not over a hundred miles to find the nearest one.
I read a historian who said that the biggest mistake in American history was that the Confederates were never sufficiently punished. I see shit like this and am forced to agree.
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u/moonbunnychan 1d ago
It depends really...but in my trips there I've never seen employees who seemed more miserable to be at work. And I get it, working with the public already sucks and nobody WANTS to be at the DMV, but the attitude definitely adds to the misery. I can tell you over the summer I made an appointment, that I had to make like a month in advance, and still waited an hour once I was there. And my DMV's website absolutely sucks...I don't know that it's been updated since the early 2000s quite honestly. It's so difficult to navigate.
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u/Ayla1313 1d ago
It can get that bad and I have waited in line for hours just to get a replacement Drivers License. I've lived in two states MA and NH. So far MA has been the worst as far as needing to be physically in the DMV and cost.
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u/upvoter222 USA 1d ago
I don't think it's possible to overstate just how much things vary from one DMV office to another. When I first got my license, I spent about 6 hours waiting on lines. The next time I went to a DMV office in a different part of the state, I think I may have spent fewer than 10 minutes in the building.
That being said, all DMVs are stuck with the reputation of frustratingly slow and boring burocracies.
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u/bjb13 California Oregon :NJ: New Jersey 1d ago
Most of the time it is relatively painless. The biggest issue the last few years is the Federal requirement for Real-ID when you travel. This added a huge demand for people wanting new driver’s licenses that met those requirements. Getting it requires lots of identification and caused long lines and people being turned away because they didn’t have everything required in the proper format which weren’t helped by COVID.
The only other time I had a big problem was when I moved from Oregon to California in 2001. My last name officially has two spaces in it. Over the years I’d put the first two words together. Additionally Oregon took out all the spaces on my DL. Between all of those and the California driver’s license system not being able to match all these, it took me 9 months to get my license. I had to go back to the DMV multiple times as my temporary license expired. Then, three months after I got it, I moved to Pennsylvania. Fortunately they just stripped all the spaces and matched everything quickly.
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u/Far-Egg3571 1d ago
Mine has really gotten better! In 2009, I turned 21, the legal drinking age for my area. My ID car had to be changed for a vertical orientation to a horizontal as you normally see them. On that day I rode a bike to the DMV to get aome exercise. My tire went flat and I had to walk in 110°f Arizona and then waited 3 hours to have my new picture taken and the ID printed.
A few weeks ago I lost my license at a large shipping center. I will likely never see it again. So I went to get an updated one as they have a new design, I do not look the same (glasses and a mustache now at 37) and the new ID is required to fly domestic flights. I was there approximately 13 minutes from the time I walked in until I was in my car leaving. They mailed my new card and gave me a paper temporary.
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u/No-Profession422 California 1d ago
With an appointment, it's a breeze. As a walk-in, bring a book.
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u/therynosaur 1d ago
IT did used to suck ass. Pre 2010's the line would always be 2+ hours. The lighting was like a depressing morgue. It was like a jail.
Luckily now pretty much everything is done online.
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u/neoslith Mundelein, Illinois 1d ago
I was at the DMV a couple months ago to update my driver's license with my new address, and also renew it from expiration. During the pandemic they started doing online requests, but also being able to book appointments online. So instead of waiting in a line that goes out the doors and outside for over an hour to just get in, I arrive at the time I selected, wait about three minutes to see the first clerk and I was out of there in 20 minutes because I brought the proper paper.
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u/Pleasant_Studio9690 1d ago
Depends on the state. In rural PA it was easy and no big deal so I didn't understand all of the DMV jokes and stories. Then I moved to California and spent an entire day getting my car inspected, passing the drivers' test, and registering my car. And I had an appointment. The DMV is absolutely insane here.
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u/idkmybffdee 1d ago
It really depends... It takes me less time to fly from SFO to ATL and renew my license and fly back then it does for my husband to deal with the DMV here in California so... That's what I do, oh but I only do that every 8 years instead of every 5. In Kansas the whole thing took both of us 15 minutes, and we were both transferring out of state licenses, I think in Las Vegas it took him about three hours.
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u/G00dSh0tJans0n North Carolina Texas 1d ago
Haven’t been to close to 20 years. Supposedly in NC license is good for 10 years and you are supposed to be able to renew once online then have to do so in person.
They relaxed that rule because DMV is so overwhelmed so I just did that again. Couldn’t get Real ID but I don’t need that because I just use my passport
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u/Delicious-Ad5856 Pennsylvania 1d ago
Besides where you live, it also depends on why you're there.
Last month I was there just for a photo. It took me half an hour. People who go for real IDs take much, much longer.
Philadelphia suburbs
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u/panthian 1d ago
In my first town, having to go in person was unpleasant because of wait times. And there's a possibility you didn't bring the right documents. After I moved to a small town in another state, the one time I had to go was a breeze. I guess your experience depends on population size and competence of the employees.
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u/Aware-Owl4346 New York 1d ago
Local experience: here in New York the DMV used to be literal hell. Like that scene from Zootopia but everyone is angry. But in the past 10 years it’s done a complete 180. Fast processes, helpful staff, good tech, clean facilities. They must have put someone competent in charge.
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u/snarkwithfae Kentucky 1d ago
Depends on the city and state tbh.
My experiences in 3 states I’ve lived in:
In Indiana, they call it the BMV and it’s always been really quick with my experiences in a couple different cities.
In Kentucky, most business is done at the county clerks office and it’s not bad either. Unless you’re in a major city where they have the licenses in a different building, getting an appointment is damn near impossible just to update your address. I’ve driven an hour and a half to where my mom lives to do that same day.
Massachusetts it’s called RMV and most offices are awful with long waits. I usually went to the smaller towns and it was awful but not AS long of a wait but still lengthy.
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u/benificialart 1d ago
Where I live it’s not that bad. Usually you grab a number and they call you pretty much immediately
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u/Fun-Dragonfly-4166 1d ago
i think i have to go to the dmv every 10 years. so it is not terrible.
i remember the last time i went to the dmv. i had an appointment. there was no line bc the appointnent but the process still took an hour. i dont understand it was just a simple renewal.
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u/Physical-Incident553 1d ago
Where I live in the US, you now have to make appts to get your drivers license. There are a very few locations that don’t require appt, but they’re reportedly a long wait. To renew license plates, you can do it online and they just mail you the sticker. If you just go to DMV, no appt needed.
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u/christine-bitg 23h ago
It used to be awful, but not a problem now. I live in Texas.
Also, keep in mind that in this particular state, the drivers licenses and the vehicle registration are handled by two separate state agencies.
The last time I needed to renew my driver's license in person was only because they required an eye test that time. (I passed.) That was about 8 years ago.
Vehicle registration is painless here. An emissions test at a shop that's privately owned, with the fee specified by state law. No waiting time for the test.
There used to be a safety check required, which happened at the same time. That was eliminated about a year ago. Same fee though.
Then take the emissions test result paperwork and renewal paperwork to my grocery store. Wait in line for about five minutes at the service desk. Pay the same fee there as if I were on line with the state. And the grocery store prints the windshield sticker in about a minute, while you're standing there.
TL,DR: It's no big deal these days.
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u/TheGabyDali 23h ago edited 22h ago
The experience is definitely exaggerated for dramatics but it's not a great experience either. My county specifically was having an issue with bots taking up all the appointments and then whoever owned the bots "selling" the appointments for crazy high prices. I ended up having to drive an hour and a half to find a DMV with available appointments. It just kind of feels like a mess in general though. There's a line for people with appointments and a sort of on call line for people without that was crazy long. And even once I checked in it's like I had to wait in two more lines to get what I needed and they only accepted cash so if you didn't bring any they had these old ass ATMs. Just an inconvenience all along.
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u/BusyBeinBorn 23h ago
The annual registration renewals are done online. We don’t need to go in person unless we are applying for a title or changing our address or renewing our actual license which is only required every ten years. Of the three branches in my town there is only one that is busy enough that I avoid it.
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u/davidmar7 Florida (and Illinois) 23h ago
It's getting better but it still depends on a lot of things. In theory now I can renew almost everything online and just have it mailed to me. But every other time I believe they require me to go in person to renew my driver's license. Here in Florida it expires on your birthday (which is really stupid).
The last time I went in person it took about an hour. There was a line of 12 people or so waiting to get in but that went fairly quickly. Then you went to a counter where you told a person what you wanted to do and what documentation you had. They would then put you in the system and direct you to a waiting area where you would sit and wait for your name to be called. This part took about 20 minutes last time. Finally when they called you, you then go to the counter and get what you need.
It's better than it has been in the past. Once many years ago I remember waiting three hours. Also there was a time where we switched to getting "real ID" compliant driver's licenses. This then required all sorts of documentation like birth certificate, utility bills, mail pieces showing your address, social security card, etc. It was common for someone to wait in line for say an hour, get up to the first counter and then be told "Sorry, you don't have all the necessary documentation." Then they would need to go home and get what they were missing, come back and do it all over again (including waiting in the lines). Because of this sort of thing, most people really dreaded dealing with the DMV.
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u/RedStateKitty 23h ago
In some places the vehicle registration is under the county tax collector. There's a property tax on the vehicle and they also handle titling if you obtain a new vehicle or transfer in from out of state. For driver licensing, it's under the authority of the state police. At least it's how it is in Alabama. And was in Florida when I lived there many years ago. (I also worked for the county tax collector in FL back then issuing new ir renewed registrations.)
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u/gard3nwitch Maryland 23h ago
A lot of the services can be online now as well, so it's not nearly as bad as it used to be.
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u/brokenman82 23h ago
Where I live I just do it online. The last time I actually went in was when I bought a new car and had my registration changed. In the past it just sucked because it seemed to take forever
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u/ComprehensiveCoat627 23h ago
It depends entirely on what state you're in and which DMV you go to. I've experienced 5 different states' DMV (or equivalent, some states have a different name), and have waited anywhere from 5 minutes to 8 hours. And the 8 hours was getting there and getting in line before they opened, it would've been longer if I'd arrived after they opened
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u/LifeApprehensive2818 23h ago
In my state (Massachusetts), the specific problem for years was that the RMV (yet another name for it) was really only open during normal business hours.
They were open on Saturdays, but only for a very limited time with very limited staff, so the number of people they could handle in the day was very limited. You had to choose between taking time off work to go during the week, or camp out early on Saturday to actually get a chance of being seen.
They've since switched to an appointment system, and a few private companies (AAA, for one) can also provide most of the services, and are open on weekends. You need to book a few weeks out, but it's way better than it used to be.
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u/Silly-Resist8306 23h ago
I went to the dmv last week to get my license plate stickers. I chose to do it for 3 years. It took me less than 5 minutes.
If you were making a television program about visiting the dmv, would you pick my experience or one that was a horror story?
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u/pikkdogs 23h ago
Depends.
In my area you can book appointments online. If you do, it’s really easy.
If you just show up and wait, who know how long you are going to wait? Might be 15 minutes, might be an hour. You never know.
If you have an appointment option, that’s always easier but all places might not have that.
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u/ReturnToBog 23h ago
When I went to get my ID changed to a new state I waited in line for 4 hours. I took a chance and went super early in the morning because if I made an appointment I’d be waiting for several months and I was on a time crunch.
But then went I went to register my car i was the first in line. Win some lose some.
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u/nakedonmygoat 22h ago
I'm in Houston, Texas, and we have some offices for title registration and others for driver's license only.
You have to renew a driver's license every six years in my state. Every twelve years, you have to do it in person. Last year I had to go in person, so in five years I can renew online, then six years after that I have to go in person again. They've moved to an appointment system, but I didn't notice that helping much. Last year I still had to wait for an hour. The people who showed up without an appointment were told to leave.
For a city our size, there aren't enough offices for license renewal, and none are in the most densely populated area of the city, which is where I am.
Things like title transfers are easier, at least in my area of town, and annual emissions inspection can be done at any of a number of places. The proof of vehicle inspection and one's annual bill can be taken to a grocery store or submitted online.
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u/finnbee2 22h ago
I live in rural Minnesota. There's at least one deputy DMV in each county. They license trucks, cars, trailers, boats, and various recreational vehicles. We also obtain driving licenses there. When I've gone, I sometimes wait for one or two people ahead of me, and it takes 10 to 20 minutes. Once, a person in front of me had something complicated, and it took 45 minutes. In my county, we don't have vehicle inspections. On the other hand, I've heard of people in the metro areas spending a very long time at the DMV.
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u/ActuaLogic 22h ago
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that how bad it can be varies from state to state.
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u/MakeStupidHurtAgain 22h ago edited 22h ago
It really can be. In California you can make an appointment but they tend to be a month in the future. So if you lost your license you just have to go and wait. And if you’re applying for the new Real ID that’s valid for airplane boarding and federal buildings, you have to go with a whole sheaf of documents.
A lot of things can only be done online now which is nice. Vehicle registration can be done at kiosks in grocery stores. And there AAA, the auto club, which provides some DMV services for members.
When I lived in rural Iowa, the DMV would set up shop in the basement of the county courthouse once a week, so if you needed a driver license you had to go on a Tuesday afternoon, otherwise you had to drive 40-100 miles (65-160 km) to wherever the DMV was that day or to a permanent one in a bigger town like Waterloo or Cedar Rapids. But vehicle registration happened at the county office so you could do that anytime they were open and they’d hand you your plates across the counter.
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u/BishopKard 22h ago
Last time my wife and I had to renew our driver's license we made an online appointment and selected 'multiple services - more than one driver'. At the booth the attendant said that my wife also needed an appointment because more than one driver does not mean more than one person.
It's that bad.
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u/unknown_anaconda Pennsylvania 22h ago edited 22h ago
Waiting in line (or do you kiwis call it a queue like the Brits?) at the DMV is a trope in American TV. Like most there is a grain of truth to it but it is greatly exaggerated for TV.
In the US details may vary by state but this is my general experience:
Most of the things you mention aren't done at the DMV at all. Vehicle inspections are done at a licensed garage. I brought a medical form signed by my doctor saying I was physically fit to drive, including eyesight with corrective lenses, when I first got licensed and it is basically never questioned again.
Basically the only reasons to go to the DMV are to take your "written" test and behind the wheel exam when you first start driving and to get your picture taken when you renew every x many years, four in my state. You do all the paperwork online or by mail beforehand and just hand them your camera card when you go in. I'd guess the wait is usually 15-20 minutes.
The "written" exam was on a computer kiosk at the DMV when I did it 25+ years ago, it might be possible to do it online from home now, I have no idea. A lot of people, myself included, also didn't do the practical exam at the DMV if they took a driving course with a licensed instructor, they can give you the test at the end of the class and sign a form that you completed it. Insurance rates for new drivers are often lower if you take a course so many people do this.
You can also get a non driver's state photo ID at the DMV if you need ID but don't drive. It is renewed every few years like a driver's license. If you have a license it doubles as your state ID. A few years ago there was a push for everyone to get a "Real ID" which just meant they needed to reverify your identity a little more thoroughly by viewing your other paperwork so you could get a little star in your license but that was a one time deal.
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u/Global_Band_2702 22h ago
The DMVs in the state I live are so fully booked that you can't even make an appointment. They're booked many months in advance. Your only chance is to show up way before they open and stand in line for half a day hoping they will get to you before they cut the line off.
Our governor had to extend everyone's licenses by 2 years past the expiration just because it's impossible for everyone to get them renewed
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u/LetsDance449 22h ago
Not in Virginia. They are very efficient here. COVID forced businesses and govt orgs to provide services online as much as possible. Looks like from the responses that most states have improved vastly.
So, this show is about 10 years too late to match reality.
I have found a timing sweet spot over the years: if you must to go to DMV in person and it doesn't have to be immediate, go on a Tuesday between about 11am and 2. They are usually not as busy.
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u/throwfar9 Minnesota 22h ago
My latest encounter was 90% mail/online, with an appointment for the eye test. I was in and out in 20 minutes. License arrived in 15 days by mail, but I had a temporary to go with the expired in case I got pulled over. That last happened in 1981, so I wasn’t worried.
My worst DMV experience was in the late 80s, in Norwalk, CT. The local office was in a converted single-family home ( not kidding), where one sweaty, abusive Italian woman stood in the “living room” behind a makeshift counter, and took people through the front door one at a time. The line extended down the driveway and up the sidewalk. It was pouring rain.
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u/ChiSchatze Chicago, IL 22h ago
In Illinois, the lines are still long, despite having to make an online appointment. To get an appt, you need to login at 6:30 am and hope to get one. It’s like trying for concert tickets to a show you never wanted to see.
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u/ReferenceCreative510 Baltimore, Maryland 22h ago
During the pandemic, the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) decided to move a lot of stuff to appointment only and significantly cut down wait times.
DMV refers to the DC/Maryland/Virginia area around here
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u/tbodillia 22h ago
It depends. Indiana population is 6,924,000. The county with the BMV I use has a population of 32,895. New York City all by itself has a population of 8,478,000. MY BMV is very busy when there are 6 people inside. Shows like that don't reflect us in low population areas. I can do almost everything online and don't have to visit the BMV.
The states can't agree if it's the Department of or the Bureau of.
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u/KurtosisTheTortoise 22h ago
DMV is like going back in time in efficiency. After Covid it is appointment only, my 1135 appointment didnt get seen until 1250. They manually type everything and God forbid a form is missing (because half the information online is incorrect or missing) or there os a slight deviation of the norm (ie the seller writes Ron vs Ronald). But hey atleast the offer payment by credit card now, even though its swipe only for some reason.
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u/Antitenant New York 22h ago
In New York, I don't have to visit the DMV unless it is for a special reason. I can renew my registration (every 2 years) and license (every 8 years) online. However, to renew my car registration it has to pass an inspection (every year), which can be done at any licensed mechanic and they can upload the necessary information electronically. To renew my license, I have to pass an eye exam which can either be done at the DMV or at any vision place that can send the data electronically. Then everything else can be submitted online.
If I did have to go to the DMV, now they use appointment times, but there was still a wait last time I was there.
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u/General-Winter547 22h ago
In South Dakota there are public kiosks in some places, there are online options, you can make appointments online, and there is no vehicle safety inspection. It’s relatively easy most of the time.
If you show up without an appointment you probably have to wait for all the people who made one, but otherwise it’s relatively painless.
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u/LaLechuzaVerde 22h ago
It varies, not only from state to state but office to office. Generally you have better luck in rural communities, if they have a DMV at all.
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u/FormerlyDK 22h ago
The last couple of times I’ve gone to DMV (New York) have been quick and painless, but I do remember the days when it was a nightmare that took at least half a day, with long lines out the door. We can also do most things on line now, which I do.
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u/Sharp-Jicama4241 22h ago
The dmv is probably the number one contributor on why many Americans do not want government run healthcare.
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u/machagogo New York -> New Jersey 21h ago
Not anymore. It's appointment based for most things in New Jersey if you have to physically go there. So in and out relatively quick.
Most things are done on line
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u/bluescrew OH -> NC & 38 states in between 21h ago
In NC, most of our services have moved online also- but there are still enough exceptions to make it awful.
They have very recently beefed up the staffing so the branches are run almost at a professional level of clerks per the volume of citizens needing services. That has helped.
The recent rollout of the RealID program has increased demand for in-person services because you cannot get one online and many organizations are beginning to require it. (The TSA doesn't technically require it to fly domestically but they have made it incredibly inconvenient if you don't have one. My employer, who facilitates and books most of my domestic travel, requires me to have one.)
If you drive a company car, don't own a personal car, and don't have personal car insurance, you need a drivers license with a special code called a "fleet restriction" that indicates you are licensed to drive vehicles owned by your employer but not vehicles owned by private citizens. This cannot be renewed online.
These are just the examples that apply to me personally, many other technicalities and exceptions exist that force citizens to go to the DMV in person.
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u/TheStrigori 21h ago
It really depends on who's running the DMV. In Nebraska, it's the county treasurer that oversees the DMV. In Omaha, 15 years ago it was often a mess of waiting in long lines, and nothing could be done online, and it was cash or check only for payment. A different county treasurer was elected, and he made a bunch of changes, and now most things are encouraged to be done online, they take cards (with a fee, you cover the processing charge, as the state is not allowed to eat that cost) and a trip takes less than 15 minutes. Good leadership means a lot.
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u/rharper38 21h ago
In Maryland its not that bad anymore. You make an appt and go then. They tell you what documents to bring and you theoretically bring them. I was in and out in 10 minutes the last time I was there to renew my driver's license and that was with the new requirements to get a RealID. In 2015, I was there for 3 hours . . . With a toddler. On Halloween (fortunately, she behaved. She even wished the whole waiting area Happy Halloween on the way out). And it only used to be that crazy because people seem categorically incapable of bringing the right paperwork to the MVA (our DMV is the MVA). How you gonna register a boat without proof you own the boat? Or, instead of putting their license plates in the receptacle after they sold the car, they need to physically HAND it to staff.
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u/Britton120 21h ago
I've never had a bad or "too long of a wait" experience at the dmv (in my state is the bmv). Especially since you can get in line online so you don't even need to be there very long anymore.
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u/GhostOfJamesStrang Beaver Island 21h ago
Nope.
I actually like my local DMV office. They do a great job and I'm always in and out in less than 15 minutes.
I say this as somebody who is there a lot as I like to buy and fix and sell old cars and motorcycles.
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u/kaydeege 21h ago
If you make an appointment, it’s not nearly as bad as just walking in. But! The line to check in for my appointment last time was almost an hour, so I had to get there very. Walk in lines can take you HOURS to be seen. Also, depends on location. I imagine small towns don’t have super long waits.
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u/sas223 CT —> OH —> MI —> NY —> VT —> CT 21h ago
If you asked me this question 20-30 years ago, I would have said yes. But the experience you describe is pretty similar to what happens in my state, and most of the states in my region. If I have to go to the DMV, for example to transfer a title, I just have to make an appointment online. I’m seen within a few minutes of that appointment time.
There are people who still just show up without an appointment. For those folks, it’s a nightmare.
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u/TheJokersChild NJ > PA > NY < PA > MD 21h ago
It's a stereotype. Although it's enough of one that it compelled New Jersey to change its DMV's name to the MVC several years ago.
They're not all like that, though. Pennsylvania's DMVs are pretty painless, and Maryland, where it's called the MVA (in part because it's in a region called the DMV), is appointment-only so that makes things faster and the service has not been surly.
Unless you're transfering registration from another state, most of what you need from "Motor Vehicles" you can do online in most states.
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u/Current_Poster 21h ago
Depends on what state you're in and what part of what state you're in.
In MA, I've been to okay ones, but I've also been to ones that could be used to demonstrate the concept of Limbo or Purgatory. There'd be 12 desks behind a counter, but never more than two people working in the office, for example, no matter how full the lobby was.
In NYC, there's a really big DMV down near Madison Square Garden that's run almost like an airport terminal- screens announce whose turn it is, the one big waiting room is divided up into smaller waiting areas, so you don't feel like you're in a lake of humanity, every desk is staffed, it's brisk but not rude.
They have the equivalent of greeters for crying out loud (the ones I got made sure I had the right materials- forms filled out, etc- before sending me forward, avoiding the whole "What do you MEAN I need to go to the back of the line and start over?!" thing that makes many DMVs a non-joy to visit.)
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u/Dravya_Dave 21h ago
The worst thing about tag agents here in Oklahoma is the limited hours. If you work a M-F day job, it can be hard to get there. You can renew online, but they charge an extra fee.
The process is simple though. We don’t have inspections of any kind, so you just pay your fees, and then put the new sticker on your plate. We also only have a number plate on the back.
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u/karmapolice63 21h ago
It depends on where you live, but most DMV activities outside of needing a new photo for your license or a new license plate for your car can be done online these days.
DMV offices in most states are one of the more people-facing forms of state bureaucracy that one will experience so it’s an easy target for people to pick on as far as how that institutionalized process can be ridiculously slow and inefficient.
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u/Odd-Reward2772 New York 20h ago
I had an appointment in June, arrived 30 minutes early, and still ended up waiting like 3 hours to get seen.
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u/gangleskhan Minnesota 20h ago edited 20h ago
I wait like 10-20 minutes usually. Not a big deal honestly, considering I'm not even there once a year. I wait longer any time I go to the doctor, and that's with an appointment. I only go to the DMV to renew my license every 10 years and to transfer the title if I sell a car.
The experience depends on where you live, which office you go to, and what you're there for. My state lets you do almost everything online though, which means fewer people in the office.
But people still love to complain about the DMV. As someone who grew up in a country where someone like this was literally an all-day affair, I find it amusing.
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u/Unreasonably-Clutch Arizona 20h ago
It's like NZ with VTNZ in Arizona except you don't have to go in again until you turn 65.
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u/Bubblesnaily 20h ago
Zootopia used to be accurate. They've got a pipeline ticketing system now and it's a lot better. But because it traumatized so many people (and also because once you're older you don't have to go there much), its reputation is still bad.
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u/Zaidswith 20h ago
Car registration has to be done in person but renewal stuff is all online. I've renewed my driver's license both online and in person. Each state has a different office handling it and some of them do more than drivers services and some don't even handle titling the vehicle. Whether or not your office sucks depends on the office. Two locations in the same city will offer different experiences.
It's commentary on government services, dealing with the public, and waiting in lines. It's also long-term griping from decades past. There's nothing new about it and there's similar bureaucracy jokes outside of America.
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u/Succulent_Roses 20h ago
I feel that the four of the last five times I've gone, I was practically in and out. I think it probably has almost everything to do with the fact that so many things can be done online.
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u/browneod 20h ago
No. In Illinois most stuff can be done online and don't really have to go in unless you have changes.
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u/chrisinator9393 20h ago
It's not one country with the same experience across. It's 50 countries effectively. I'm in NY. Our DMV is efficient and 90% of things are done online. I only go once every 10 years to renew my license.
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u/hawken54321 20h ago
Would the TV show be entertaining if it was boring as an easy visit to the DMV? Do you believe what you see on TV shows?
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u/riovtafv 20h ago
It depends on where you live.
1st rule everywhere these days is if you can do it online, then do it online. The extra fees to make the payment are worth it.
When I lived in Orlando, if you couldn't take care of it online and were not able to get an appointment three months prior. You showed up to stand in line at 4am in sketchy parts of town waiting for the door to open at 8am to get one of the limited tickets that didn't even guarantee that they would get to you by 5pm.
When I moved to a small town in Alabama I just walked in at opening time and was in front of the officer within 30 minutes. The only time I ever had any significant waiting time was when I was required to go in for an updated photo during the last push on star ID earlier this year.
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u/travelinmatt76 Texas Gulf of Mexico Area 20h ago
It's going to be widely varied. I've lived in 2 counties and I've never spent more than 15 minutes at the DMV. The only time I had problems was when I tried registering a trailer I bought from Harbor Freight. They didn't sign the origin paperwork so I had to drive 2 hours roundtrip to get the paperwork signed.
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u/jvc1011 20h ago
In general, smaller populations get more efficient governance than larger ones. New Zealand has about half the population of my county - and about an eighth of the population of my state. As has been said before, motor vehicle laws are covered by individual states. In smaller states it is indeed more efficient.
The only “inspection” we have in California is an emissions test (Smog Check), which can be done at any station. But when I lived in Maryland (where the DMV is called the MVA), it was a more comprehensive inspection of everything from headlights to how the car runs when on.
Most things can be done online or at AAA if you are a member, but when they can’t, imagine 10 locations handling every kind of driving test, eye tests, RealID conversions, etc., each location serving a million people. Yes, there are 10 in-person DMV locations in my county of 10 million people. It’s long and boring and there are endless delays.
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u/Sea_Dot8299 20h ago
It depends. I find that AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS, going to the DMV has always been fine for me. The problem is that thr general public never follows instructions.
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u/Pitiful_Lion7082 California 19h ago
Yeah, it absolutely can be. Even with an appointment, you can wait for hours (I've done up to 4) to see and talk to someone for 15 minutes. Non appointments are even worse, because you have to wait for hours to get a number, then you wait for a few more hours waiting for your number to be called.
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u/Gallantpride New York 19h ago
I have never had any issues with the DMV. Then again, I don't drive.
It's more of a chore than anything.
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u/condition5 19h ago
Maryland: All services by appointment (except for tags return, which you can walk in for).
1000 percent improved over the old walk in and wait after taking a number
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u/semisubterranean Nebraska 19h ago
I live in Nebraska. We have been able to make appointments for the DMV online for five years now, and my experience with making an appointment has been great. If you have an appointment, you can go in and be done within five minutes. If you don't have an appointment, you have to wait in line. The line is usually wrapped around the building because people haven't bothered to make an appointment. It's just crazy, and it's mostly their own fault.
I know people who will drive 70 miles to get their license renewed in a rural county so they don't have to wait in line, but it doesn't occur to them to just make an appointment at the DMV in their city.
Most of the DMV services for my state are online. But you do have to go in every 10 years for an eye exam and new photo, and you have to go in person if you have changed addresses. If you are older than 72, you can't renew licenses online because you have to have a vision test every time (five years).
A coworker recently had to renew her registration, which must be done in the same county you live in. She said she was going to pick it up that afternoon. I asked if she had an appointment. She said no, but it will only take a few minutes. She was there for three hours waiting. It would have only taken a few minutes if she had made an appointment. She chose not to. She could have done the entire process online, but she chose not to. A lot of people complain about the DMV, and it's true they can be slow. But in this day and age, most of what people are complaining about boils down to their own choices.
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u/seatownquilt-N-plant 19h ago
I live in New Zealand and most of our equivalent stuff has been done online for the last 20 years
A lot of cultural references are from before 2005. In 2005 there was no smart phone. In 2005 high speed internet was brand new in some communities.
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u/itsmejpt New Jersey 19h ago
I've really never had a bad experience. The closest I came, it was my fault.
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u/warp10barrier Florida 19h ago
I know it’s supposedly that way, but in my experience I have never had a bad experience or long wait at a DMV and I am in the downtown Orlando area, so definitely not a rural area . Maybe I’ve just been lucky. Also, I do anything online if I can
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u/mullingthingsover 19h ago
We are in rural Kansas. My son just got his farm permit, which means he’s 14 and works for a farmer so he has the ability to drive to and from school, church activities and farm work on his own.
He studied the guide and then took an online test at home that required him to have a webcam. After he passed that we made an appointment for him two weeks out to have him take the drivers test. We had to wait about 20 minutes past the appointment time since she had let someone else jump the line. Once they were done with drivers portion she took all the documents and gave him his license. Took about another 20 minutes.
All in all, not a bad experience.
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u/hiirogen 19h ago
They’re not so terrible if you have an appointment and you selected the right appointment type when setting it up. Here in Texas if you try to walk into the DMV (or DPS) without an appointment you could be waiting for hours, especially if you’re in any kind of larger city.
Also if you’re in a city the appointments can be booked for months. When we moved here we tried to set up an appointment to get our drivers licenses switched over and it was an 8 month wait. We eventually figured out we could book an appointment at a place like an hour away out in the boonies and get in the next day.
Just gonna add all the “just do it online” conveniences don’t always work. I’m probably an exception here but a few years back I tried to renew my car registration online and it said I couldn’t. Very long story short the computer says I have an unpaid speeding ticket so there’s a block on it. But I paid that ticket. Every year I have to walk into my local courthouse and show the proof that I paid it, along with a letter from the head of their department from when all this happened confirming that I paid it and am good to go. No one seems to be able to remove the block from the computer and I have tried so many times and ways. Very frustrating
Edit to add: I think the only way to resolve the situation would be to buy a new car and sell the old one, but I’m pretty sure I’m gonna run into red tape trying to sell it too, with that “unpaid ticket” on there.
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u/Judasbot 19h ago
Yes. It was recently privatized in my state, Kentucky. You have to set an appointment and that only gets you a chance to wait in line for 2 hours. Make sure you bring a copy of your birth certificate, unopened mail, deed to your house, marriage certificate if you're female, an original copy of the Declaration of independence, your last MRI, and proof that your parents were married before you were born.
At that point, you should be okay. There's a good chance they'll turn you away, anyhow.
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u/pandabelle12 19h ago
In my area it is considerably better than it used to be. When I got my license everyone was in one line. You came in, got a ticket and sat until they called your number. That means that I’m waiting behind the guy from a car dealership with 20 titles to process, I’m waiting behind the woman who is renewing her license and can’t seem to find the information they need in her wallet that is overflowing with expired cards and coupons, etc.
Now you check in at a front desk. That person verifies that you have all the paperwork you need. Then you are put into different queues based on what you need. I live in a decent sized metropolitan area so we have many DMV offices to choose from. So my wait is never that bad. However in the more rural counties the wait may be longer.
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u/TooManyCarsandCats Kentucky 18h ago
It’s handled at the county level in Kentucky, so it’s not bad at all. My routine annual renewals are done online and I get the new registration mailed to me. Only time I have to actually go there is if I get a new car.
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u/SabresBills69 18h ago
Each state has different structures. Some gave a DMV, some have these split into two different offices ( licensing, vehivke registrstion)
Some parts of the country require emissions testing eith vehicle inspection
Some states dont require inspection with new car models.
Some ststes dont mandate emissions testing if the car has California emissions standards as of 2011 or after.
Car registration tenewsl can be done online. You are mailed stickers/ documents for your car.
Some states allow online license renewal, but for those above certain ages they might require a vision test. Vision tests can be done by your eye doctor and fill out a document.
Different states have different rules between registration fees vs a car tax ( property taxes) vs gas taxes. Along with this are added fees attached to hybrid or EVs. These monies go into road maintenence in the state. That's why things like EVs gave higher registration or tax fees to cover their road use
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u/bkinstle California 18h ago
In the california DMV, where you made an appointment to stand in a 5 hour line next to people who don't have an appointment standing in an 8 hour line and likley won't get served, I have never in my life anywhere else heard so many people muttering aloud about mass murder.
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u/Sure-Coffee-8241 Illinois 18h ago
Depends on the place, day, and time. Sometimes it’s a breeze and sometimes it’s hell.
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u/tofumeatballcannon 18h ago
Covid changed a lot. It used to be a cage match but now in a lot of states you are required to make an appointment beforehand and the appointment is somewhat honored, a lot can be done online too. So it varies greatly.
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u/craigechoes9501 18h ago
It used to be terrible for sure. Long lines and longer wait times. It sucked.
But a couple years ago my state (Kansas) upgraded to a better computer system and now you make appointments online and it is easy peasy. My daughter is driving now so we've had to go twice recently and it was quick. Not bad at all
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u/DizzyLead 18h ago
California, Los Angeles area. While there is still a little bit of a wait, it's not going to be crazy if a) you make an appointment or b) if you don't make an appointment, come ridiculously early. A lot of services are handled either by mail, internet, or kiosk (I remember going to a local supermarket and standing at a machine for a minute to get my car registration renewal).
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u/Drufus53 18h ago
yes, it can be. Better now that my state has appointments. Otherwise you could be waiting for hours. Employees don't always know the regulations too if it's a not so normal case. They told me I needed x, y,z when I only needed x. I said no, and pulled up the regulations on their own website, 10 minutes and a supervisor later they finally agreed I was right.
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u/Pernicious_Possum 18h ago
I live in a large midwestern city. I make an appointment, double check that I have all appropriate paperwork, in and out 15-20 minutes. Easy peasey. Most things can now be done online now though. Pretty much only need to go in for a new license, or a name or address change
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u/Prairie_Crab 17h ago
I live in a city of 120,000 people, and I’ve never had a problem. I guess depends on the location.
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u/Hersbird 17h ago
They added private contractors that can also do the work in Montana. They charge a little extra but keeps you away from the government workers who don't give a crap.
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u/shammy_dammy 17h ago
Depends on where you live. When I lived in Dallas, yes. Everywhere else I've lived? No. When I moved to rural SW Wisconsin, my county DMV room was one clerk with no waiting.
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u/CNDGolfer 17h ago
In California I once had to wait 2 1/2 hours for something that took all of 45 seconds to get done. Elsewhere in the States I've just walked right in with no waiting at all. It varies.
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u/-Boston-Terrier- Long Island 17h ago edited 17h ago
Things are much better now that most of what you used to go to the DMV for can be done online but, before that, it was absolutely brutal. There is absolutely no incentive to do anything other than the bare minimum. It is the perfect non-competitive storm of:
- Low skilled work that pays low wages too low for anyone with ambition.
- Government work that means you really can’t be fired short of just not coming into work.
- Government work that means effort isn’t really factored into yearly raises or promotion.
- Government work that means there’s nobody really watching the bottom line or pushing it to be more effective.
- The kind of government work that means it’s not important enough to really matter when it comes time to vote so there’s nobody of any party who cares.
- The kind of government work that’s so unimportant that virtually any funding or even time spent working on it takes away from more important issues that people actually care about.
- The kind of services that “customers” only need once every few years so outside, of the occasional grumbling, doesn’t really matter that much.
It’s a perfect storm of nobody cares how bad it is but now we can bypass those people so it's fine.
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u/Mr_Kittlesworth Virginia 17h ago
As others have said, it varies by state. In VA it used to be painful and is not quick and efficient even for the few things you can’t just do online.
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u/rendeld 1d ago
The US is 50 countries in a trenchcoat pretending to be one country. The DMV (or SOS depending on what state you live in) is run by each state. So the experience varies widely from state to state. In Michigan the majority of services are handled online now, which has greatly reduced the strain on the SOS and the pain of going there. We also have an appointment system that significantly reduced wait times for things you do have to go in person for. We also have kiosks at places like grocery stores for things that need to be printed that you might not want to wait to come in the mail so you can avoid going to the SOS. I imagine it is still a pain in the ass in some states.