Smile! It's the DMV
By: Nancy | November 08, 2007 | Category: General
Every five years, around birthday time, my state's division of motor vehicles likes to connect with me—show me a little love in the form of a renewed driver's license. When I turn an age than ends with a "zero," like I did recently (40—ouch!) they want me to stop by, get my vision checked and smile for the camera. When I turn an age that ends with a "five," I can reuse my current picture and renew my license online. I like the "five" birthdays. The "zeroes," not so much.
But it was ok this year. For starters, I think the guy who took my picture must moonlight at the mall down the street from the DMV at one of those glamour photo places. My picture looked less "mug shot" and more "America's Next Top Model."
Really. Ok maybe I'm exaggerating a little. A lot. I am exaggerating a lot but I passed my license around the office and everybody said "Wow, you DO look better on your driver's license than you do in real life." Um, thanks.
It wasn't just the great picture that surprised me at the DMV, though. The amount of time I was there was a shocker too. I waited about 90 seconds before my name was called to begin the renewal process. My total time at the DMV, from entrance to exit and all paid up, vision-tested and photographed was a mere 11 minutes. On a Friday. At the end of the month. Incredible.
Turns out, it's a new era for state motor vehicle offices as they shift more and more of their services to the Internet. USA.gov has a page with links to motor vehicle offices in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A majority of states let residents renew their licenses and/or vehicle registrations online. Many have even more online services that'll save you a trip to the motor vehicles office. Here's a quick sample of what I found:
- Tennessee's Department of Safety provides demos of popular online services like renewing a driver's license to help new users get comfortable with doing motor vehicle transactions online.
- Ready for a road test? Wisconsin's Department of Transportation lets you schedule your driving test online.
- In Massachusetts, you can see in real time how long the wait is at the DMV office you want to visit.
- Online transactions aren't for cars only. Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles lets you renew your watercraft registration online too.
- California has a slew of online DMV transactions for the state's residents, including creating their own vanity license plates. Think George Clooney will like this one?
Take a peek at your own state and find out what you can do online that'll save you the trouble of standing in line at your local DMV office.
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Another feature the AK DMV has is "Alaska Plates Overseas" at http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/ADMIN/dmv/akplates_overseas/index.htm, which is a gallery of photos of Alaska-based military servicemembers posing with Alaska plates in places where they are deployed.
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I love that link to the military personnel and their Alaska license plates overseas. What a great idea.
Thanks!
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