I had a positive experience at the BMV today... how refreshing!

Had to renew my drivers license today.  I've been dreading this day.  Last time I went thru this it was hours waiting and unpleasant MVA staff.  This time, here in Maryland, you have to make an appointment.  I scheduled 9:00 a.m.  It takes 8 minutes to get to the local MVA.  Once I arrived you check-in on a mobil app.  At 9:00 I was sitting in front of a delightful young women who got my thru the eye exam, a new picture, and payment for the license.  9:06 I was back in the car.  9:15 home.  Way to go Maryland.  

The last time I had to renew my license, I got in line at 6:30 am and got out at 10:30 am!  Wow, feel just like old Soviet Union!

We have all kinds of document requirements, and the the city's website had incomplete information at the time.  I checked the day before, and doubted it was complete, so I used my Google and found discussion groups that accurately outlined all required documents (old license, SSN card, and two pieces of recent mail with the address on the license).

Once the office opened and the line started moving, every single person ahead of me had at least one missing document!  One person didn't have her old license, another had NO documents.  I heard some complaining that the city website didn't mention all the document requirements, and one person decided to start an argument saying they should be able to renew their license anyway, because it was such a huge PITA (and it was).

Fortunately, I got through in 15 minutes, including the wait time to get my mug shot taken.  But only after standing in line for 4 hours.  

In Oregon, a good bit of dealings with the DMV can be accomplished online. For registrations and 'regular' stuff like that, I haven't needed to go into the office in years.

In Colorado, we renew our registrations on-line and I was lucky enough to be registering my Durango for the first time (that normally has to be done in-person) when the whole state was on its 2020 COVID lockdown...so I was able to do all of that on-line as well.  The really odd thing about the whole thing was that they were able to mail my plates and stickers to me, but told me in a letter that came with the plates that "Due to COVID, we are unable to print your registration cards at this time, so please keep these temporary registration cards in your vehicle in the mean time" or something along those lines.  That left me wondering why they couldn't just print the real ones, since they had printed the temporary cards.  Heh...tell me that's not a government operation.  LOL

For license renewal, one positive that came out of COVID was that the DMV here now has license renewals by appointment only.  Appointments were scheduled a couple of months out, but on the day of your appointment, you're in and out in less than 10 minutes with your new license (which, IIRC was a temporary as well, with the permanent one being mailed within the next 10 business days).

Some of the process seemed a little convoluted and silly, but that's OK because it didn't require much of a time investment on my part other than waiting for stuff to show up in the mail...but no standing in line anywhere.

In Alaska, we renew online and they mail out the new sticker.  And if your vehicle is 8+ years old, for $130, you get a perpetual registration as long as you are the original owner.  It doesn't travel to the new owner.

Eugene Rowe

Tradionally this takes an hour or more

I ry to get as much done as possible at AAA, but licenses are the exception. Luckily its only every 10 years.

Bill

A very positive development!

Our DMV has kiosks with terminals at their locations for people doing simple stuff, like registration renewals, replacement stickers, etc. And like you, I am usually in and out in ten minutes.

We've come a long way, at least here in Maryland. I remember having to take a day off work just to change or turn in tags.