PSA: get a DMV appointment...walk-in is crazy

[Bowling4Bikes]

Just spent 8 hours getting my license. 5 hours just to get into the building.

Many people are trying to get their realID early, and the whole walk-in system is completely broken.

do yourself a favor and make an appointment. waiting a month and then 30 minutes at the DMV is way worth it.

 

[Hooli]

Depends on which DMV you go to. But ya, most of them are broken.

 

[Bowling4Bikes]

I'm not so sure. The lady said all DMVs are impacted throughout the state.
I was at that exact dmv just before the realID rollout, at about the same time of day (~1 hour before open). It was a shitty but manageable 2.5 hours. At any rate, if you have a DMV close to you that is relatively quiet, proceed with caution and don't tell anyone which one it is!

 

[Kurosaki]

Probably would have been worth it to drive to sacramento or Stockton.

never had a long wait there.

 

[TylerW]

My strategy has always been to show up about an hour before business hours, and I'm generally out of there 30-45 minutes after the doors open. That amount of sunk time is still nothing to sneeze at, but it's a great backup plan if you call to make an appointment and the next opening is June of 2019.

 

[Blankpage]

For 8 hour waits you would think there'd be some sort of food service, video screens in the back of seats and movies to choose from.

 

[Agent Orange]

Could've flown to Europe in that time.

Whats the rush? Dont we have another 2 years to get it before the enforcement deadline?

 

[Butch]

I'm not so sure. The lady said all DMVs are impacted throughout the state.
I was at that exact dmv just before the realID rollout, at about the same time of day (~1 hour before open). It was a shitty but manageable 2.5 hours. At any rate, if you have a DMV close to you that is relatively quiet, proceed with caution and don't tell anyone which one it is!

Its the RealID thing.
I had appontments at Los Gatos and it was still really fucked up. I walked into Hollister (gee, why was I there?) first thing in th morning and it was an hour...

Eventyaly did the Los Gatos appointment, still about a half hour in line, but not bad, still stupid.

Trump rocks.

 

[TylerW]

Its the RealID thing.
I had appontments at Los Gatos and it was still really fucked up. I walked into Hollister (gee, why was I there?) first thing in th morning and it was an hour...

Eventyaly did the Los Gatos appointment, still about a half hour in line, but not bad, still stupid.

Trump rocks.

Last time I went to the DMV was a few weeks ago. Dunno if it was realID, but I noticed they did their numbering system a little different. Instead of a letter of A-G followed by a two digit number, it was my first and last initials and a two digit number. A little nerve wracking because I had no idea where I was in the queue.

Oh well. Progress marches on.

 

[gnahc79]

Could've flown to Europe in that time.

Whats the rush? Dont we have another 2 years to get it before the enforcement deadline?

+1. I plan to get the realID next year sometime. Mine expired early Jan this year, just 3 weeks before the realID availability. I had an appt at the south San Jose location. Took 10 minutes with an appt, they called my # before I could finish filling out the form.

 

[1962siia]

3.5 hours at the corte madera dmv yesterday. Website said wait time was 23 mins. YEAH RIGHT! I also agree the new "improved" numbering system is terrible and frustrating with no clue where you stand in line. This is another impressive step by the dmv. Just when you would think it couldn't get worse they found a way. Woot!

 

[RightCoastBias]

Its the RealID thing.
I had appontments at Los Gatos and it was still really fucked up. I walked into Hollister (gee, why was I there?) first thing in th morning and it was an hour...

Eventyaly did the Los Gatos appointment, still about a half hour in line, but not bad, still stupid.

Trump rocks.

What does Trump have to do with RealID?

 

[gt3x24x7]

My license expires in 2020. I'll get the realid thing then.

 

[rodr]

There's no need for RealId if you have a passport.

As for DMV locations I had an easy and quick experience in Napa recently. Didn't need an appointment which was good because those were way backed up.

 

[RRR70]

There's no need for RealId if you have a passport.

As for DMV locations I had an easy and quick experience in Napa recently. Didn't need an appointment which was good because those were way backed up.

If your renewal is coming up now and you get renewal by mail, you’ll get an illegal alien DL. I wouldn’t recommend to drive with that out of state.

 

[Bowling4Bikes]

+1 on the new numbering system. in Fremont is was my initials and then my last 4 digits of my phone number. I had no idea where I was in the queue

 

[Kornholio]

There's no need for RealId if you have a passport.

Unless you're like me and don't want to or see the need to carry a second form of ID just for domestic air travel.

I made a Saturday appointment in February and was in and out in less than 30 minutes.