A lot of things but the DMV is not one of them.
September 2nd I pack up the kiddo and do my time at the DMV to get our CA plates. Bad news is I don’t have everything with me that I need, one being Devin’s signature. Not to worry. “Mail it in” says the kind lady.
A few weeks later I check online to see how long it should take to get the plates. “4-6 weeks” says the less-than-helpful website.
Six weeks pass and I spend 45 minutes on hold waiting to talk to another nice lady who says, “it’s been taking six weeks for mail to be ‘opened’ and another 2-3 weeks for the plates to arrive. I don’t show record of receiving your paperwork yet. Give it more time.”
A week and a half later out temporary window tag expires. No sign of the plates.
Ten weeks after the original date, Devin and I march into the DMV at 8am sharp only to be told “the computer says something is being processed so I can’t do anything for you. Come back in 72 hours.” In other words, we have no option but to drive illegally.
But not all was lost during that outing. We got our CA drivers licence. But not without a grumpy lady telling me I couldn’t stand where I was standing and later being indirectly accused of cheating on my written exam.
Then today we receive our overpriced plates. Not 4-6 weeks. Not even a generous 6 weeks to open plus 2-3 more for mailing. But 12 weeks (and a day…but who’s counting).
And now let’s review the process in Washington–Drive up to a trailer office in a hardware store parking lot. Wait for the one person in front of me. Pay my dues. Get my plates. Get my tabs. Done.
And now Utah–take a number at the vehicle licensing office (not the DMV drivers licence madness office). Wait 10-15 minutes. Pay my dues. Select centennial or ski plates. Get handed the plates and tabs. Done.
No wonder this state is going bankrupt. They dish out pay for 12 weeks worth of work for something that takes five minutes.
On the up side, we do have nice shiny new plates with no bugs on them. They’re pretty. Even if they don’t say “Evergreen State” on them.