From Assemblymember Phil Ting
 


Improving the Wait Times at the DMV

Assemblyman Ting addresses long lines at the DMV photo

As my constituent, I understand your frustration with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). I recently needed to replace my driver license. To my surprise, the lines at the San Francisco office were unbelievably long, snaking down the block and around the building. These were lines you'd expect to see for a popular concert - not for the DMV.

People all around the state have experienced long wait times; some as long as eight hours. And the earliest online appointments available are more than two months away, often beyond the expiration date of their license or vehicle registration. This is unacceptable, and we have to fix this now.

As Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, I called a hearing at the state Capitol last week to get to the bottom of what's going on. Our last two state budgets set aside extra funding for the DMV to handle the transition from a state ID to a federally-compliant Real ID. You can still use a California driver license to operate vehicles. But starting in October 2020, a Real ID is necessary to board a domestic flight without a passport or enter federal facilities. Unfortunately, a Real ID can only be processed in-person.

The DMV Director told us the additional money is being spent on hundreds of new hires with the busiest offices getting more people over the coming weeks. To supplement staffing, state workers from other departments are being temporarily assigned to the DMV. Technological upgrades are also being deployed - for example, the ability to start your application online and receiving text alerts when your appointment is coming up. DMV estimates you'll be seeing reduced wait times by the middle of next month and reasonable wait times by the end of the year.

We'll continue to hold the DMV accountable while we identify more solutions to improve wait times. As always, if you need help with any state agency, please don't hesitate to call my district office at 415-557-2312.

Sincerely,

signature

Phil Ting
Assemblymember, 19th District

 
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© 2019 California State Assembly

 
   

Capitol Office:
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P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
Tel: (916) 319-2019
Fax: (916) 319-2119

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San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: (415) 557-2312
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