Nine hours and three trips, and it's finally a done deal!
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (47352)
June 27, 2025 4:53pm CST
I dreaded this, and it was even more of a fiasco than I ever imagined it could be.
I had some title work to do with my car, and it had to be done at the DMV. Our DMV here is always very busy, and the other one not far away is always completely swamped. But it had to be done, so Monday, I headed that way.
I was nearly there when my car sort of lurched and made a funny noise. Pulled over into the nearest business parking lot, not far. A very, very flat tire--and it had a big, giant nail imbedded that I could actually see. Had to line up some assistance, etc. and get the spare on (tiny little thing) and by that time, it was 4:10PM. I went to the DMV, took a number as usual, and waited. There were at least 20 people waiting, so I didn't have high hopes of getting helped by 5PM when they closed. At 4:30PM, they announced there would be no more title work done that day. Went home...
Tuesday and Wednesday were very full days and yesterday, I made the second trip. It was completely swamped with at least 50 people waiting, chairs full, sitting on the floor. I gave up and went home again. Today, I got it together and thought to myself ''the third time is the charm!'' and off I drove, with the hope that it was true! I got the last empty chair. There were 27 people ahead of me. I ''only'' had to wait for 2 hours and 14 minutes, and it was MY TURN!! The paperwork lady was very nice, but it was somewhat time consuming, however--mission accomplished at last!!
I hope to not go back anytime soon. On the way home, I remembered that in January, I have to renew my own Driver's License--that's every 4 years. But I hope I don't have to go back there until then!
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19 people like this
18 responses
@kaylachan (79149)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jun
I'm glad you finally got it done. Ours is always a zoo, too.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (79149)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jun
@MarieCoyle I was at our tax coloctor's office (which George also calls the DMV) earlier this year, amazed we got out in an hour.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
@kaylachan
I am sure you were glad to leave the tax office, I would be!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (481812)
• Italy
29 Jun
@MarieCoyle - We can live without a car. In one year it will not be absolutely necessary to have one.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
Yes, I am sure you are concerned about that. I am glad that you had the foresight to move closer to amenities to make it easier for you.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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29 Jun
@LadyDuck
I know he won't be happy if he can't drive, and will miss that. Since you moved and are now so close to things, hopefully it won't be so terrible when he can't drive anymore.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (178536)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Jun
You are braver than we are. Our IDs are way overdo to be renewed. Luckily, we haven't needed them. We do plan on getting them in the fall. I'm not going anywhere in this heat and it will continue until atleast mid September.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (178536)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Jun
@MarieCoyle ........with my social anxiety it will be a real trial for me when the time comes.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
It had to be done, and it had to be in person. Being brave honestly had nothing to do with it, but being patient sure did. Just...wait. And wait some more, and some more! I don't have the option to do otherwise right now. Son's transfusions, appointments, etc. plus other things. I just manage the best I can for now. And I do have to agree with you, this week was unbearably hot!! Simply miserable.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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29 Jun
@celticeagle
I am sorry you have such bad anxiety. I have never suffered from anxiety, but have a good friend that truly does. She takes medication for it and says it really helps--but I don't remember offhand just what the name of the medicine is.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54403)
• Canada
27 Jun
I have heard such horror stories about your DMV, but that doesn't happen here.
Our dept of motor vehicles is a place where you go to change the ownership, unless you sell it to a dealership, then they look after all of that.
When your license is getting ready to expire, you go to a provincial outlet and they take your picture, and your money for both your driver's license as well as your health care card-easy peasy, no chairs to sit on and days to waste waiting.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
Yes, I generally only go to renew when needed every 4 years. Get a new picture, and an eye test, pay your fee, and get your new license. During the pandemic I renewed it online and used the same picture, which is allowed. But they do want the eye test.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54403)
• Canada
28 Jun
@MarieCoyle We are asked to read an eye chart, which is really an easy one, when we have our photo taken.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (198100)
• United States
28 Jun
I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience and a flat tire. My two trips to the Title Bureau recently were heavenly. Got waited on right away. My last trip to the DMV was similar. A short wait. I "kinda" know which times and days are less busy.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (198100)
• United States
29 Jun
@MarieCoyle That's terrible. They need to open up another one.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
I even asked what time is best to go. I was told they have a line of people outside when they open up in the morning!!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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29 Jun
@LindaOHio
A new very large facility is being built, but it's not finished yet.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (92056)
• Bangalore, India
29 Jun
Glad that third time was a charm and finally it was done. Does the driving licence renewal also take a long time?
Anyway what has to be done has to be done. We have to go through such sufferings every now and then with certain things.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (92056)
• Bangalore, India
30 Jun
@MarieCoyle Oh! That's good. Anyways, it's not till next January.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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29 Jun
@arunima25
It's a lot less time to do the driver's license renewal than it is to do title work for your vehicle.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (165403)
• United States
28 Jun
You have had just a very bad time. We renew our license at the courthouse, but since covid we have to have an appointment. Living in a sparsely populated place we do not have the trouble you did.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
I wish we could make appointments at the DMV, but it's not how they do it here.
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
I was so determined to get it done today! What a task it turned out to be! Thank you.
1 person likes this
@rakski (146313)
• Philippines
28 Jun
@MarieCoyle true but at least it is now done
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20893)
• United States
1 Jul
I had to go to the DMV on June 17th. I wanted a Real ID. I tried to get one last year, but I didn't have the official birth certificate back then. I found mine and made an appointment. I didn't have to wait long.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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2 Jul
I am glad you didn't have to wait. I am hoping when they get this new large facility as well as keeping these other ones, the crowds and waiting times will be better than they are now.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
I counted and they had 30 chairs for waiting...and people sitting on the floor.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
Such a hassle at times, not to mention very time consuming!
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (58405)
• Philippines
28 Jun
We're lucky here. We have so many small-time vulcanixing shop to choose.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
Not here. Run by the state, and they are so busy. You are fortunate!
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (194577)
• United States
28 Jun
We can do alot of things in this state online. There is a DMV in the smaller town here that can handle most things, and you usually only wait 5-10 minutes. They are crowded in NOVA though. Too bad you had to wait so long I hope you got your tire fixed
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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28 Jun
I did get the tire fixed. We have so much road construction, I shouldn't be surprised about the nail. I got one a few years ago, too--not far from where I got this one! From what I have heard, pretty much all of the DMV's anywhere close to us are always swamped. They are building a massive new DMV about 10 miles from me, hoping that it relieves the congestion in some of the other ones. Hopefully, it will!
@Aquitaine24 (11892)
• San Jose, California
27 Jun
I think it is good to go in a small town, maybe fewer people in line.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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27 Jun
I live in a smaller city, near a bigger one. I went to the one near my home. I've been to the bigger one before, and it's a circus.
@wolfgirl569 (120970)
• Marion, Ohio
27 Jun
Glad you got it done. Ours is almost never extremely busy like that.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (124339)
• United States
27 Jun
I've got to get my car inspected soon. The cop who got me for expired registration approached the car from the passenger side so he missed seeing that it is several months out of compliance. hahaha It is so stupid. They used to check brakes, horn, lights, etc. Now it is just emissions. At least we don't have to pay for that farce.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (47352)
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27 Jun
Oh, my. Guess you had better make the trip to get that done, too. And yes, at least they don't charge for it.
Oh, the best thing about today was, I had to get new license plates, and a very nice guy that works there came outside and put the new ones on for me!! I didn't ask...he said that it was a provided service. Yay!
1 person likes this
