DMV of NV - Do Your Job Please
FIRST: If you live in Las Vegas, NV, do not go to the DMV on a Saturday! I have
talked with several people that went to the DMV on a Saturday. One woman
told me the first time she went, she arrived at 5:00AM per a friend's
advice. The line was wrapped around the entire building. The next visit,
she arrived at 3:00AM, and there was still a line. If you are attempting to make an appointment online and the appointment system can not be accessed, please wait until it is available. No appointments can be made via phone call or online chat session.
NV Residents: If your plates or DL is expired, you will need to apply for a "Movement Permit" but keep in mind that movement is restricted. If this applies to you, visit this website:
If you are not a NV resident and your plate or DL is about to expire, you are basically out of luck!
Obviously, in this blog, I am going to address the very broken DMV system in Nevada. The state's rule is that you must register your vehicle and obtain the NV driver license within 30 days of arrival. It can not be done within 30 days due to the back-log. If you are a new resident and your sh@@ is about to expire, you are out of luck.
My first step was to check the state's DMV website to view a list of necessary paperwork for my vehicle registration and driver's license. I found out the hard way, of course, that the website is not updated and some data is omitted.
The second step, obtain a mandatory smog check for your vehicle. In Nevada, all vehicles must have a smog check performed before going to the DMV for registration except for any vehicle purchased during 2020 or later. The exception is not provided on the website. You will find out after you go to a local kiosk for the smog check. It's a bit frustrating that you wasted gas and time. The saving grace? It's a money saver. The smog check cost is anywhere between $19.99-$69.95, depending on your vehicle.
Getting up bright and early this morning, I ventured out to the DMV with all the necessary paperwork on hand. After a VIN inspection and removing my license plate for the mandatory surrender, I walked up and took my place in the long line outside the building. Remember, we are talking Las Vegas, NV where it's HOT, and even hotter if you are standing in the sun. Thankfully, it was still early enough that the sun was on the opposite side of the building.
DMV CALLS & ONLINE CHAT
Before I go any further, I would like to state that the appointment system for the DMV was not allowing access ALL DAY on two different dates. To make matters worse, appointments are not accepted via phone call or online chat. At a loss, I attempted to call the DMV to see if there was an announcement regarding the online scheduling system not being operational. Each time I called, an announcement advised that there is a backlog of calls, refer to the website or call back later. Online chat was no better. After two attempts and waiting more that 20 minutes in the queue for an agent, I was disconnected.
End result? I am still without a NV vehicle registration or driver's license. The DMV's security guard announced that due to the length of the line, not everybody would be able to be served; those without appointments will have to come back on Saturday. He also stated that service is by appointment only, except for every Saturday. Many people complained about not being able to make their appointment online, but the guard insisted the service is operational today. He was right. I was able to make an appointment after 1:30PM today, but it's more than 30 days away.
Rule of thumb? A limited number of walk-in customers are accepted.
RESOLUTION
Early on in my career for a large corporation, I quickly learned that if you are going to present a problem, it's best to recommend a solution or resolution. What needs done?
1. If the DMV would keep their website updated, the volume of calls may not be as heavy. Let users know when tools are not working. Update mandates. As a programmer, I know this is a simple fix.
The next 3 suggestions create jobs.
2. Hire more agents to field phone calls
3. Hire more agents to reply to online chats.
4. Hire more agents to work in the office on a part time basis. It's obvious help is needed every Saturday.
5. Allow new residents 90 days for vehicle registration and driver's license.
Is your state's DMV broken? Each state has its own Compliance Enforcement Division. However, the DMV must be in violation of a law or regulation.
Dolly Parton "9 to 5"
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