Share your DMV Horror Stories..............

[bssc]

Audreyh1's comment on the DMV not knowing what to do with people who don't fit into a predefined box reminded me of the time my wife tried to register an out of state corporate vehicle. They kept her waiting for two hours until they could find someone who knew what to do with the paperwork.

 

[MikeD]

Some years ago I bought a motorcycle. The prior owner filled out all sorts of stuff (name, address, odometer reading) on the title transfer paper, but forgot to sign his name. I didn't notice and took the title into the DMV to transfer. The clerk noticed and said it couldn't be transfered without a signature. I said oh, no, he lives 200 miles away. She then coyly said, "it doesn't have to be notarized or anything."

Years ago here in Virginia I was told by the rural DMV lady in a completely empty (except for me) office that I should just go over to that desk and have my wife sign it, while she gave me a big wink. Well, I went over there, signed my wife's name, and brought the form back to her. She didn't say a word and completed the transaction.

It's not like that around here any more.

Mike D.

 

[Texas Proud]

Sorry to say I don't have any.....

You can get your renewal here in Texas at a local store OR mail them in and wait... I think they last about 6 or 7 years before you need a new plate.. if so, I will be on my third plate on one of my cars soon...

You can even renew your drivers license by mail until it get 'old' and you then need to go in... for that great photo... I have not been in since '98

 

[Arif]

TX is the best state to renew your license IMHO. While i was stationed there I lost my wallet and decided to get a TX license instead of dealing with replacing my CA DMV long distance. I was in and out in no time. Fast forward five or six years and it was time for me to renew my license and I ended up doing it online in less than 5 minutes. They didn't even care that my mailing address was now in GA. We did the same thing when we bought a vehicle from a dealer in TX and had it shipped to GA. I paid the TX taxes instead of GA along with the registration which was much cheaper than GA taxes. Never managed to get hassled by the GA police for an out of state tag because we were in a military town. BTW, the registration on the vehicle was about $300 in GA and $75 in TX!

 

[REWahoo]

What Arif said. Get your license and register your vehicles in Texas, but live somewhere else.

 

[TromboneAl]

California DMV has been fine, even though I'd dreaded it like the dentist.

I remember waiting six hours in line in a NY DMV when I was a teenager. Could it really have been that long? Then, they got the name wrong on the driver's license.

 

[farmerEd]

In Mass, the DMV's I have been too worked great. Never had to wait more than a few minutes. Service is generally effecient and pleasant. They have a nice automated system whereby you come in, take a ticket/number and then sit and wait until you are called. In the old days (i.e. 20 years ago), you had to get in line and wait for a long-time to be served. The DMV has really improved quite a bit in the last decades.

No complaints here.

 

[BUM]

Years ago I bought a used car from a dealer. The car had been traded through several dealers before it got to my dealer. As you may know vehicles that pass from dealer to dealer are not re-titled at each transaction. There is a short form. Only when sold and registered is the vehicle re-titled.

So the car I bought had a gap in the paperwork trail. One dealer sheet was missing out of the middle. So the thing looked like... TITLED car sold to dealer A, then to dealer B, to dealer D, to me. Dealer B clearly identified Dealer C, and dealer D clearly acknowledged buying said vehicle from dealer C. Would NY DMV register my car? Nooooooo. Further, dealer C had gone out of business. What to do?

That same day, I drove to the DMV in the next town and waited until lunch time when the place was packed and there were screaming kids running wild. Left with the plates.